Campbell County, Tennessee Eviction Risk: Very Low

Campbell County, Tennessee scores 2.4/10 (Low risk) across its 5 incorporated cities, with individual city scores running from 2.2 to 2.7. Ranked 43rd of 95 counties statewide, Campbell County sits squarely in the middle third of Tennessee eviction laws, meaning 42 counties carry higher eviction risk and 52 carry less. For landlords, that middle-tier placement reflects a county where operating conditions are workable but not uniformly easy, particularly given a 24.1% poverty rate and an average rent of $716 that leaves limited cushion for tenants when income disrupts.

The average rent burden across the county runs at 29.3% of income, and renters make up 46.6% of occupied households, a meaningful renter concentration for a rural Appalachian market. Landlords who underwrite on vacancy and collections should model those figures carefully. The low risk score reflects favorable legal mechanics in Tennessee eviction laws more than exceptional tenant-quality demographics, so due diligence at the property and city level matters more here than the headline county number might suggest.

The cities inside Campbell County

Jellico carries the highest risk reading in the county at 2.7/10, with a population of 1,855. Its position on the Kentucky border and a relatively thin local economy contribute to the slightly elevated profile. La Follette, the county seat and largest city at 7,273 residents, scores 2.4/10, as do Jacksboro (2,650 residents) and Caryville (2,073 residents). While those three cities share a score, their underlying market dynamics differ, which is a reminder that the county average obscures hyper-local variation that only a city-level view can surface.

Fincastle is the lowest-risk city in the county at 2.2/10, serving a smaller population of 1,374. Investors comfortable with thin liquidity and smaller tenant pools may find that score attractive. Across all five cities, the 0.5-point spread from 2.2 to 2.7 is relatively tight, suggesting county-wide conditions are consistent rather than sharply bifurcated.

State-level laws that apply here

Campbell County's total population falls under 75,000, which has direct procedural implications. Under TCA Title 29 Chapter 18, landlords in non-URLTA counties must serve a 30-day notice before filing. In URLTA-designated counties, the Tennessee eviction laws eviction process moves faster: nonpayment of rent triggers a 7-day notice under TCA § 66-28-505 (as amended by SB-1088), a material breach requires 14 days, and a non-curable breach requires only 3 days under TCA § 66-28-517. Once filed, an uncontested case resolves in roughly 21 to 45 days; a contested case can run 45 to 120 days.

On Tennessee eviction costs, landlords should budget a court filing fee of $200 to $300, a sheriff lockout fee of $40 to $150, and attorney fees of $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity. Tennessee eviction laws state law imposes no rent control and requires no just cause for nonrenewal, and state preemption prevents any local government from enacting rent caps. For a full breakdown of what renters can legally withhold or delay, the Tennessee tenant protections guide covers the retaliation and habitability statutes (TCA § 66-28-514 and TCA § 66-28-304) that every Campbell County landlord should understand before placing a tenant.

With a poverty rate of 24.1% and renters comprising nearly half of all households, Campbell County's low aggregate risk score is best understood as a starting point, not a guarantee, making the city-by-city breakdown in the grid above the more actionable tool for site-selection decisions.