Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from county average, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
22.7%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Graceton, PA, tenants prevail in roughly 22.7% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
76d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Graceton, PA until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 76 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$2.6–6.5k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Graceton, PA costs landlords $2,648 to $6,506 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$826
35% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Graceton, PA is $826 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 35% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
16.3%
of households
16.3% of occupied housing units in Graceton, PA are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
19.0%
8.7% unemp.
19.0% of Graceton, PA residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 8.7%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
GOP margin +39.1% (2024)
3.8
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
3.8
State political climate
Pennsylvania legislature & governorship
3.4
Economic stress
19.0% poverty · 8.7% unemp.
4.4
Supply constraint
$826 average · 16.3% renters
1.0
Rent Control risk
35.3% of income on rent
2.2
Eviction process difficulty
76 days filing → judgment
2.8
Tenant organizing strength
16.3% renters
1.0
Housing court bias
County bench composition
3.1
Geographic context
Risk heat across Graceton and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Graceton compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Indiana County
Very Low
#24of 28 cities
#24 of 28 cities in Indiana County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Pennsylvania
Low
#1430of 1,952 cities
#1430 of 1,952 cities in Pennsylvania for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
3.6
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 3.6/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+1.0 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
76d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $826/mo. A contested eviction takes 76 days and costs $2,648–$6,506 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
16.3%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 106 residents, 16.3% rent. 35% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 19.0% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
3.8
Local + regional
The politics
Light-statute interior market.
Local & regional political climate score 3.8 and 3.8 (GOP margin +39.1% (2024)). State climate at 3.4, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
3.4
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 3.4/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 2.8, housing court bias 3.1, rent-control risk 2.2. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-2.2 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
4.4
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 4.4. Supply constraint: 1. The numbers behind those: 19.0% poverty, 8.7% unemployment, 35% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Graceton sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Graceton · 76d · ~$4.6k all-in ($60/day) · score 3.6National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Graceton, Pennsylvania, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 3.6/10 (LOW tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Graceton is a city of 106 residents where 16.3% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 35.3% of income on rent. At an average rent of $826/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Graceton eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 2.8/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Graceton closes 76 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Graceton's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 3.1/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Graceton runs $2,648 to $6,506 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 76 days of typical timeline and $826/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 1/10 in Graceton, and the city has limited rent control exposure (2.2/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In Pennsylvania, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Graceton: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a LOW tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match Pennsylvania's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $6,506 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Graceton
Trap · PENNSYLVANIA
For state-level context, see the Pennsylvania overview link in the guides section below. The score combines political climate, rent-to-income ratio, court bias, and tenant organizing strength under 68 PS 250.501.
04Eviction filings
Live filings tracking · Eviction Lab
Princeton Eviction Lab Tracking System, state-level (no county tracker available). Last update 2026-05-01.
In the most recent month, 8,054 eviction cases were filed across the tracker's coverage area, 0.94× the historical baseline (below baseline). Past 12 months: 108,576 filings. Pandemic-era cumulative: 577,537.
8,054Past month
108,576Past 12 months
0.94×vs baseline (past mo)
Notice requirement: at least ten days notice (in some cases more). Filing fee: $162 filing fee on average.
Last 36 months of filings2023-05-01 – 2026-04-01
Filings dropped 12% over the past 12 months.
Source: Eviction Lab Tracking System, Princeton University. Open Data Commons Attribution license.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my Graceton tenant tries to claim "just cause" for not paying rent?
Pennsylvania does not have a statewide "just cause" eviction requirement. This means you don't need a specific, legally defined "just cause" to terminate a tenancy (after the initial lease term) beyond what's outlined in your lease or state law. For non-payment, the lack of rent is sufficient cause for eviction, provided you follow the 10-day notice rule.
Q2
Can I turn off utilities if my Graceton tenant stops paying rent?
Absolutely not. This is considered an illegal "self-help" eviction and can lead to severe penalties, including fines and damages owed to the tenant. You must follow the legal eviction process through the courts. Don't resort to illegal tactics; it will only make your situation worse.
Q3
How long does an eviction appeal take in Graceton?
If a tenant appeals a Magisterial District Court judgment, the case moves to the Court of Common Pleas in Indiana County. An appeal can add several weeks to several months to the overall timeline. The tenant usually has 10 days to file an appeal. During the appeal, the tenant may be allowed to remain in the property, often by paying rent into an escrow account. This is a situation where you definitely want an attorney.
Q4
Are there any specific tenant protections in Graceton I should know about?
Beyond statewide protections, Graceton, given its small size, is unlikely to have specific local tenant protection ordinances. Pennsylvania does not have statewide rent control (Pennsylvania rent control rules) or statewide source-of-income protection (Pennsylvania tenant protections). Always adhere to federal fair housing laws, which apply everywhere.
Q5
What's the best way to avoid eviction altogether in Graceton?
The best way is through rigorous tenant screening, clear lease agreements, and open communication. Respond promptly to maintenance requests, and address minor lease violations early. If a tenant falls behind, communicate immediately to understand their situation. Sometimes, a payment plan can prevent an eviction, but be cautious and get any agreement in writing.
A 3.6/10 places Graceton in the 30th percentile of Pennsylvania cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has climbed steadily since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Cities with similar eviction risk to Graceton (3.6/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
