Lawrence County, Pennsylvania Eviction Risk: Moderate

Lawrence County carries a county-wide average eviction-risk score of 5.4/10 (Moderate) across its 26 cities and communities, placing it in the higher-risk third of Pennsylvania. Of the state's 67 counties, 20 score worse than Lawrence County and 46 score better, which means landlords here face more headwinds than the typical Pennsylvania market. The average rent of $807 and a rent-burden rate of 29.9% point to tenants operating with thin financial margins, which tends to elevate collection risk especially during economic softening.

The intra-county spread, from 3.5/10 to 6.4/10, is wide enough that neighborhood-level research matters far more than the county average. Two properties across town from each other can sit in meaningfully different risk environments, so treating this county as a uniform market will lead to mispriced acquisition decisions.

The cities inside Lawrence County

New Castle is the county seat and its largest city, with a population of 21,579 and the county's highest risk score at 6.4/10. Wheatland and Wampum each score 6.1/10, making the northern and central corridors the most demanding operating environments. A landlord concentrated in New Castle eviction risk faces conditions closer to the riskiest tier in the state than the county average would suggest.

The picture looks considerably different on the lower end. New Wilmington (population 2,395) and New Castle Northwest (population 1,223) both score 3.5/10, while Ellwood City (population 7,532) comes in at 4.3/10. New Beaver scores 4.4/10. These communities offer more predictable cash flow for investors willing to work in smaller markets. Risk is genuinely hyper-local in Lawrence County, and city-level scores should drive underwriting rather than the county composite.

State-level laws that apply here

Pennsylvania governs the landlord-tenant relationship through 68 P.S. § 250.101 et seq. (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951). Notice requirements vary by the reason for eviction: nonpayment of rent requires a 10-day notice, a material breach during a tenancy under one year requires 15 days, and a material breach during a tenancy of one year or more requires 30 days. End-of-lease-term terminations require no advance notice under the statute. Understanding the Pennsylvania eviction process before you file is essential, because procedural errors reset the clock.

Landlords should also budget realistically for enforcement costs. Court filing fees run $130 to $250, sheriff lockout fees add another $50 to $150, and attorney fees range from $500 to $3,000 depending on complexity. An uncontested case resolves in 30 to 60 days; a contested matter stretches to 60 to 150 days. Pennsylvania eviction costs therefore carry real variance, and contested cases can represent a significant drag on returns for smaller portfolio holders. Importantly, Pennsylvania state law does not require just cause for eviction and preempts local rent-control ordinances, which removes two common constraints that landlords in other states must navigate.

With an average poverty rate of 17.1% and a renter share of 33.7% across the county, the tenant pool skews toward households with limited financial buffers; the city grid above breaks down individual community scores so you can identify which of the 26 markets in Lawrence County fit your risk tolerance before committing capital.