Obion County, Tennessee Eviction Risk: Very Low

Obion County scores 2.4/10 (Low risk) across its 10 cities, placing it at rank 65 of 95 counties in Tennessee eviction laws, meaning 64 counties carry more eviction risk and only 30 are more landlord-friendly. For investors operating in this corner of West Tennessee eviction laws, that translates into a market where tenant financial stress exists but is not severe enough to push eviction frequency into the problematic range seen across much of the state. Average rent sits at $756, and an average rent burden of 26% of income keeps most tenants within a manageable range, reducing the likelihood of chronic nonpayment.

That said, operating here is not without friction. Roughly 42% of the county's residents rent rather than own, giving landlords a substantial tenant pool, but a poverty rate of 20.9% means a meaningful share of that pool is financially vulnerable. Investors should price that tradeoff carefully: low overall risk scores do not eliminate individual tenant risk, and individual city scores inside the county range from 2.1 to 2.8, a gap that meaningfully changes the calculus depending on exactly where a property sits.

The cities inside Obion County

The county seat corridor drives most of the rental activity. Union City, the county's largest city at 10,982 residents, is the low-risk anchor of Obion County with a score of 2.1/10, the most favorable reading in the county. Investors seeking scale and relative stability consistently look here first. At the other end of the spectrum, South Fulton (2,379 residents, score 2.8/10), Kenton (1,513 residents, score 2.8/10), and the city of Obion (1,087 residents, score 2.8/10) all share the county's highest risk rating. Troy scores 2.6/10, while Trimble and Rives each come in at 2.5/10.

The key takeaway is that eviction risk in Obion County is genuinely hyper-local. A landlord with units in Union City and South Fulton is, in effect, operating in two distinct risk environments despite being a few miles apart. Underwriting, screening standards, and reserve levels should reflect the specific city, not just the county average.

State-level laws that apply here

Because Obion County has a population under 75,000, Tennessee's non-URLTA track applies: landlords must serve a 30-day notice to vacate under TCA Title 29 Chapter 18 rather than the shorter notices available in larger jurisdictions. If the county were governed by the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, nonpayment of rent would require only a 7-day notice under TCA § 66-28-505 and a material breach would require 14 days, with a non-curable breach carrying just 3 days. Understanding which track applies is the first step in any enforcement action, and the full Tennessee eviction process is covered in the statewide guide. Court filing fees under Tennessee state law run $200 to $300, sheriff lockout fees add $40 to $150, and attorney fees typically range from $500 to $2,500. An uncontested matter resolves in 21 to 45 days; a contested case can stretch to 45 to 120 days. Tennessee eviction costs can therefore reach the higher end of that attorney-fee range before accounting for lost rent during the process. Tennessee does not require just cause for eviction and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so landlords face no rent-cap exposure anywhere in the county.

With a poverty rate of 20.9% and 42% of residents renting, the financial exposure in Obion County is real even at a low overall score; use the city grid above to compare individual markets before committing capital to any specific location.