Blount County, Tennessee Eviction Risk: Very Low

Blount County carries an average eviction-risk score of 2.2/10, placing it in the Low tier, but that headline number masks meaningful variation across the county's 9 cities. Scores run from 2 on the low end to 2.9 at the top, a range that is narrow in absolute terms yet relevant when choosing between submarkets. Within Tennessee, the county ranks 28th of 95, meaning 27 counties carry more risk and 67 are more landlord-friendly, putting Blount County in the higher-risk third of the state despite its Low label.

For landlords and investors, the practical read is cautiously favorable. Average rent across the county sits at $1,176, the average renter share is 29.5%, and the average rent burden is 30.6% of income, a figure that sits close to the conventional stress threshold and warrants careful tenant screening. A 9.5% poverty rate is relatively contained, but it reinforces the value of thorough income verification before signing any lease.

The cities inside Blount County

The highest scores in the county belong to Maryville and Alcoa, both at 2.9/10. Maryville is by far the largest city, with a population of 32,392, while Alcoa counts 12,222 residents. Because these two cities together account for the bulk of the county's rental stock, landlords active in either market are operating at the top of the local risk range even though 2.9 is still a Low score statewide. Friendsville, Wildwood, and Rockford each score 2.2/10, clustering around the county average.

The most landlord-favorable corner of the county is Eagleton Village, which scores 2/10, the lowest in Blount County and a full 0.9 points below Maryville and Alcoa. Louisville comes in at 2.7/10 and Townsend at 2.6/10, both below the county average. The gap between Eagleton Village and the county's riskiest cities illustrates how hyper-local eviction risk can be, even within a single county boundary.

State-level laws that apply here

Tennessee eviction laws state law governs landlord-tenant relationships here under T.C.A. § 66-28 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). Because Blount County's incorporated cities have populations that cross the URLTA threshold in key areas, landlords should pay close attention to which notice type applies to their specific address. For nonpayment of rent in URLTA counties, Tennessee eviction laws requires a 7-day notice under TCA § 66-28-505; a material breach triggers a 14-day notice under the same section; a non-curable breach calls for just 3 days under TCA § 66-28-517. In non-URLTA jurisdictions (generally those with populations under 75,000), the required notice stretches to 30 days under TCA Title 29 Chapter 18. Reviewing the Tennessee eviction laws eviction process in detail before serving any notice is essential to avoiding a defective filing.

On the cost side, court filing fees run $200 to $300, sheriff lockout fees add another $40 to $150, and attorney fees can range from $500 to $2,500 depending on whether the case is contested. An uncontested eviction typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; a contested matter can take 45 to 120 days. Tennessee eviction costs therefore vary substantially with tenant cooperation. On the regulatory side, Tennessee eviction laws has no just-cause eviction requirement and state law preempts any local rent control, so landlords face no rent-cap exposure anywhere in Blount County.

With an average poverty rate of 9.5% and just under 30% of households renting, the demand base in Blount County is stable but not deep, making city-level scores, shown in the grid above, the sharpest tool for comparing specific acquisition targets.