Forest County, Pennsylvania Eviction Risk: Low

Forest County scores 3.5/10 (Low risk) across its 5 tracked communities, placing it among the more landlord-favorable corners of Pennsylvania eviction laws. Ranked 61st of 67 counties statewide, only 6 counties carry less eviction risk, while 60 are riskier, making this rural county a relatively stable operating environment. Average rent sits at $800 per month, rent burden averages 24.6% of household income, and renters make up 48.3% of occupied units, a proportion that signals a meaningful rental market in a county with a total population of just 3,892.

The intra-county score range, 2.4 to 3.6, tells landlords that micro-location still matters here. A property in the county's highest-risk community carries roughly 50% more risk exposure than one in the lowest-risk spot, even inside a county that overall sits in the lower-risk third of the state. Investors evaluating Forest County should weigh individual community scores alongside the county average rather than treating the whole area as uniform.

The cities inside Forest County

Marienville is the county seat of risk at 3.5/10, the highest score in the county, and also its most populous community with 3,163 residents. That combination of relatively elevated risk and concentrated population makes it the community that most warrants careful tenant screening. Tionesta follows at 4/10, with a population of 323, a smaller market but still the second riskiest place to operate in the county.

On the other end, Vowinckel scores just 3.1/10 (population 134), Leeper comes in at 3.1/10 (population 178), and Tylersburg sits at 3.2/10 (population 94). These smaller communities represent the most landlord-friendly conditions in the county, though thin rental demand at those population levels is its own operational consideration. Risk in Forest County is genuinely hyper-local, and a few miles of distance can shift a landlord's probability profile substantially.

State-level laws that apply here

Every lease in Forest County operates under Pennsylvania eviction laws state law, specifically 68 P.S. § 250.101 et seq. (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951). For nonpayment of rent, landlords must serve a 10-day notice before filing. A material breach notice runs 15 days for tenancies under one year, or 30 days for tenancies of one year or more. End-of-lease-term terminations require no advance notice under Pennsylvania eviction laws statute. An uncontested case typically resolves in 30 to 60 days; a contested matter can stretch to 60 to 150 days. Total out-of-pocket to complete an eviction typically spans court filing fees of $130 to $250, sheriff lockout fees of $50 to $150, and attorney fees of $500 to $3,000, depending on complexity. Pennsylvania eviction laws does not require just cause for eviction and, by state preemption, no local rent-control ordinance may apply. For a full walkthrough, see the Pennsylvania eviction laws eviction process guide and the Pennsylvania eviction costs breakdown.

Forest County's 10.5% poverty rate and 48.3% renter share are the baseline inputs behind every city score in the grid above; review individual city pages for the hyper-local figures that most directly affect a specific investment.