Lewis County, Tennessee Eviction Risk: Low

Lewis County sits in the western Highland Rim of middle Tennessee, anchored by its only incorporated town, Hohenwald (population 3,884). The county carries an eviction risk score of 2.5/10 (Low), placing it 17th of 95 Tennessee counties on the Eviction Risk Map scale -- where rank 1 represents the highest-risk, least landlord-friendly jurisdiction in the state. That means 16 counties in Tennessee score higher than Lewis County, and 78 score lower. The county's single scored city, Hohenwald, comes in at 2.5/10, matching the county average exactly because it accounts for nearly all of the county's rental housing stock.

Despite that ranking placing Lewis County in the higher-risk third of the state, the underlying numbers tell a more nuanced story. Only 18.4% of households in the county rent rather than own -- one of the lower renter concentrations in Tennessee -- and the average rent runs $968 per month. The rent burden sits at 19.3%, meaning the typical renter household here spends under one-fifth of gross income on rent, well below the 30% threshold that housing researchers commonly flag as a stress marker. Poverty stands at 20.4%, which is elevated and does translate into a higher share of tenants who may fall behind on rent. But the combination of low rental density and modest rent levels keeps the absolute volume of eviction filings small. Landlords in Hohenwald often know their tenants personally, and informal resolution before a court filing is common.

On the legal side, Lewis County's population of roughly 12,000 (county-wide) puts it below Tennessee's 75,000-resident URLTA threshold, which changes the notice calculus meaningfully. Counties that do not fall under the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (T.C.A. § 66-28) use a 30-day notice period for non-payment of rent under TCA Title 29 Chapter 18 -- longer than the 7-day period that URLTA counties apply. That extra runway often allows landlords and tenants to work out a payment plan before matters escalate to the Lewis County General Sessions Court in Hohenwald. If a case does proceed, court filing fees run $200-$300, an uncontested judgment typically takes 21-45 days, and a contested case stretches to 45-120 days. Sheriff lockout fees add another $40-$150. Attorney fees, if you engage counsel, typically fall in the $500-$2,500 range depending on case complexity. Tennessee does not require just cause for non-renewal, does not protect source-of-income as a fair housing class at the state level, and the state preempts any local municipality from enacting rent control -- so there is no ceiling on rent increases in Hohenwald or anywhere else in Lewis County.

Lewis County's 2.5/10 score reflects a rural, low-density rental market with modest rent burdens and a straightforward legal framework under non-URLTA rules. The 30-day notice requirement for non-payment is the most landlord-notable procedural distinction relative to Tennessee eviction laws's larger URLTA counties, giving all parties more time to resolve disputes before a court filing becomes necessary.