Cocke County, Tennessee Eviction Risk: Very Low

Cocke County sits in the Great Smoky Mountains foothills of eastern Tennessee, anchored by Newport along the Pigeon River, with smaller communities in Cosby and Parrottsville. With a total rental population of roughly 8,034 residents and 42% of households renting, the county carries an eviction risk score of 2/10 (Very Low) - ranking 91st of 95 Tennessee counties on our index. That places Cocke County among the most landlord-friendly jurisdictions in the state, with only 4 counties scoring lower risk and 90 counties ranking above it in risk. Scores across the county's tracked communities range from 1.9 to 2.3 out of 10.

Newport, the county seat and by far the largest community at 6,881 residents, carries a score of 2/10 and accounts for the bulk of the county's rental activity. Average gross rent here runs just $737 per month - well below the Tennessee statewide average - which keeps rent burden relatively contained even at a poverty rate of 27.9%. That said, 29.5% of renter households spend more than 30% of income on housing costs, a figure that warrants attention given how quickly an income disruption can trigger nonpayment. Parrottsville, the smallest tracked community at 374 residents, carries the county's highest score at 2.3/10, reflecting a higher share of cost-burdened renters relative to its size. Cosby, with 779 residents and a score of 1.9/10, is the most tenant-favorable community in the county.

Tennessee does not require just cause for eviction, does not cap rent increases, and its statewide preemption statute bars any local government from enacting rent control - meaning Cocke County landlords operate in a permissive regulatory environment. The county falls under TCA Title 29 Chapter 18 for non-URLTA jurisdictions (population under 75,000), which means a 30-day notice is required for termination without a specific statutory breach, rather than the 7-day nonpayment notice used in larger URLTA counties like Knox or Shelby. Court filing fees run $200 to $300, and uncontested cases typically resolve in 21 to 45 days from filing. Compared with the Tennessee statewide composite of 2.4/10, Cocke County is materially below average in eviction pressure - a meaningful distinction for landlords weighing portfolio location decisions in the eastern part of the state.

Cocke County's Very Low risk designation reflects a combination of low rents ($737 average), a permissive state legal framework under T.C.A. § 66-28, and a non-URLTA county classification that gives landlords a 30-day termination notice window. The 27.9% poverty rate is elevated and worth monitoring, but it has not translated into high eviction filing pressure at the county level relative to Tennessee eviction laws peers.