Sullivan County, Tennessee Eviction Risk: Very Low

Sullivan County carries an average eviction-risk score of 2.2/10, placing it in the Low risk tier and ranking it 79th of 95 Tennessee counties by risk, meaning 78 counties statewide are riskier and only 16 are less risky than this market. For landlords and investors, that standing translates to relatively stable tenant behavior, manageable turnover exposure, and a regulatory environment that leans pro-landlord compared to most of Tennessee eviction laws. With 34.4% of residents renting and an average rent of $901, the county supports a sizable rental market without the pressure indicators that drive scores higher elsewhere.

Across the county's 8 cities, individual scores range from 1.8 to 2.8, a spread that matters more than the countywide average for anyone buying or operating at the property level. That one-point gap separates markets with meaningfully different risk profiles, so submarket selection deserves the same scrutiny as the county-level read.

The cities inside Sullivan County

The highest-risk location in the county is Bristol, which scores 2.8/10 with a population of 27,636. At nearly double the size of any other elevated-risk city here, Bristol eviction risk has the tenant-base density that drives more contested situations. Orebank scores 2.7/10 and Blountville scores 2.6/10, both smaller communities but still running above the county average. Bloomingdale and Colonial Heights each score 2.5/10, landing in a moderate-within-low band that still outperforms most Tennessee counties by a wide margin.

Kingsport sits at the opposite end: a score of 1.8/10 with a population of 56,262 makes it the county's largest city and its most landlord-favorable market simultaneously. Walnut Hill scores 1.9/10, and Bluff City comes in at the county average of 2.2/10. Investors concentrating on Kingsport eviction risk or Walnut Hill are operating in conditions where eviction risk is low by any statewide benchmark. The dispersion is a reminder that risk in Sullivan County is hyper-local, and even within a low-risk county, choosing the right city moves the needle.

State-level laws that apply here

Sullivan County is covered by Tennessee's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, T.C.A. § 66-28. For nonpayment of rent, the required notice period is 7 days under TCA § 66-28-505 (as amended by SB-1088). A material lease breach requires a 14-day notice under the same section, while a non-curable breach triggers a shorter 3-day notice under TCA § 66-28-517. Understanding the Tennessee eviction process is essential before filing: an uncontested case resolves in roughly 21 to 45 days, while a contested matter can run 45 to 120 days. Court filing fees run $200 to $300, sheriff lockout fees add $40 to $150, and attorney fees range from $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity.

Tennessee eviction costs are a relatively modest line item in this county compared to high-risk urban markets, but the attorney-fee range alone underscores why contested cases warrant careful lease drafting up front. Tennessee has no just-cause eviction requirement and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so landlords here operate without caps on rent increases or restrictions on non-renewal. The Tennessee Human Rights Commission enforces fair-housing obligations; source-of-income is not a protected class under state law.

With a poverty rate of 17.7% and 34.4% of households renting, Sullivan County carries enough renter concentration to sustain a healthy portfolio, while its low-risk positioning keeps eviction exposure manageable across all eight cities in the grid above.