In court-decided eviction outcomes for Berry Hill, TN, tenants prevail in roughly 20.3% 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
31d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Berry Hill, TN until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 31 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.1–2.6k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Berry Hill, TN costs landlords $1,081 to $2,595 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,733
29% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Berry Hill, TN is $1,733 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 29% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
83.1%
of households
83.1% of occupied housing units in Berry Hill, TN 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
12.4%
1.4% unemp.
12.4% of Berry Hill, TN residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 1.4%. 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
Dem margin +27.5% (2024)
6.9
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
6.9
State political climate
Tennessee legislature & governorship
1.9
Economic stress
12.4% poverty · 1.4% unemp.
4.8
Supply constraint
$1,733 average · 83.1% renters
9.4
Rent Control risk
28.9% of income on rent
5.5
Eviction process difficulty
31 days filing → judgment
2.0
Tenant organizing strength
83.1% renters
9.9
Housing court bias
County bench composition
5.7
Geographic context
Risk heat across Berry Hill and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Berry Hill compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Davidson County
Elevated
#3of 6 cities
#3 of 6 cities in Davidson County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Tennessee
Elevated
#183of 501 cities
#183 of 501 cities in Tennessee for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.3
/ 10 · VERY LOW
The verdict
A Very low-tier market.
Composite 2.3/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend-1.1 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
31d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $1,733/mo. A contested eviction takes 31 days and costs $1,081–$2,595 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
83.1%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 1,980 residents, 83.1% rent. 29% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 12.4% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
6.9
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 6.9 and 6.9 (Dem margin +27.5% (2024)). State climate at 1.9, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
1.9
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 1.9/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 2, housing court bias 5.7, rent-control risk 5.5. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.0 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
4.8
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 4.8. Supply constraint: 9.4. The numbers behind those: 12.4% poverty, 1.4% unemployment, 29% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Berry Hill sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Berry Hill · 31d · ~$1.8k all-in ($59/day) · score 2.3National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Berry Hill, Tennessee, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.3/10 (VERY 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.
Berry Hill is a city of 1,980 residents where 83.1% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 28.9% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,733/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 Berry Hill eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 2/10, 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 Berry Hill closes 31 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 Berry Hill's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 5.7/10 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 Berry Hill runs $1,081 to $2,595 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 31 days of typical timeline and $1,733/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 9.9/10 in Berry Hill, and the city has limited rent control exposure (5.5/10). 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 Tennessee, 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 Berry Hill: 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 VERY 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 Tennessee's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $2,595 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Berry Hill
Trap · 32.1 POINTS
Politically, Davidson County voted Democratic by 32.1 points in 2020, a baseline that correlates with tenant-protective legislative pressure. Combined with 28.9% rent-to-income ratio, expect baseline enforcement of T.C.A. 66-28 URLTA.
04Eviction filings
Live filings tracking · Eviction Lab
Princeton Eviction Lab Tracking System, county-level. Last update 2026-05-01.
In the most recent month, 1,115 eviction cases were filed across the tracker's coverage area, 1.09× the historical baseline (near baseline). Past 12 months: 14,448 filings. Pandemic-era cumulative: 70,201.
1,115Past month
14,448Past 12 months
1.09×vs baseline (past mo)
15.2%Repeat-tenant filings
Notice requirement: 14 days notice (for nonpayment of rent cases, though in many cases less). Filing fee: $137.75 filing fee.
Last 36 months of filings2023-05-01 – 2026-04-01
Filings dropped 8% over the past 12 months.
Source: Eviction Lab Tracking System, Princeton University. Open Data Commons Attribution license.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
Can I evict a tenant in Berry Hill without a reason?
For month-to-month tenancies or when a lease term is ending, Tennessee does not require a specific "just cause" for eviction, provided you give proper notice (typically 30 days for no-cause termination). However, you cannot evict for discriminatory reasons or in retaliation for a tenant exercising their legal rights.
Q2
How long does a tenant have to pay rent after it's due in Berry Hill?
Tennessee law doesn't specify a mandatory grace period. Your lease dictates when rent is late. Once it's late, you can serve a 14-day pay-or-quit notice. You don't have to wait any longer than your lease specifies before issuing that notice.
Q3
What if my tenant damages the property beyond the security deposit amount?
If the cost of damages exceeds the security deposit, you can sue the tenant in small claims court for the difference. Keep detailed records, photos, and invoices for all repairs. This is a separate action from the eviction itself, though it can sometimes be pursued in the same court.
Q4
Are there rent control laws in Berry Hill or Tennessee?
No. Tennessee has statewide preemption against rent control, meaning no city or county in the state, including Berry Hill, can enact rent control ordinances. This is a significant factor for landlords; you can adjust rents as market conditions dictate, subject to lease terms and proper notice. See our Tennessee rent control rules for more.
Q5
Can I turn off utilities if a tenant isn't paying rent?
Absolutely not. Turning off utilities, changing locks, or removing a tenant's belongings are illegal "self-help" eviction tactics in Tennessee. These actions can lead to severe penalties, including monetary damages to the tenant. Always follow the legal eviction process through the courts.
Q6
Do I have to accept partial rent payments?
You are not legally obligated to accept partial rent payments. If you accept a partial payment after issuing a 14-day pay-or-quit notice, it could potentially waive your right to evict based on that specific notice. If you do accept a partial payment, get a written agreement stating that the remaining balance is still due by a specific date, and that you reserve all rights to pursue eviction if the full amount isn't paid. It's often safer to consult an attorney if considering partial payments during an eviction process.
A 2.3/10 places Berry Hill in the 64th percentile of Tennessee 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 Berry Hill (2.3/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
