Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from constituent census tracts, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
3.0%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Johnson City, TN, tenants prevail in roughly 3.0% 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 Johnson City, 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
$1.2–2.7k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Johnson City, TN costs landlords $1,179 to $2,734 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,023
30% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Johnson City, TN is $1,023 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 30% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
48.7%
of households
48.7% of occupied housing units in Johnson City, 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
16.7%
4.2% unemp.
16.7% of Johnson City, TN residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 4.2%. 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
GOP margin +39.5% (2024)
2.5
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
2.0
State political climate
Tennessee legislature & governorship
2.5
Economic stress
16.7% poverty · 4.2% unemp.
5.0
Supply constraint
$1,023 average · 48.7% renters
3.5
Rent Control risk
29.8% of income on rent
1.0
Eviction process difficulty
31 days filing → judgment
2.0
Tenant organizing strength
48.7% renters
2.0
Housing court bias
County bench composition
2.5
Geographic context
Risk heat across Johnson City and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Johnson City compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Washington County
Very High
#1of 9 cities
#1 of 9 cities in Washington County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Tennessee
Elevated
#204of 501 cities
#204 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 $1,023/mo. A contested eviction takes 31 days and costs $1,179–$2,734 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
48.7%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 72,222 residents, 48.7% rent. 30% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 16.7% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
2.3
Local + regional
The politics
Light-statute interior market.
Local & regional political climate score 2.5 and 2 (GOP margin +39.5% (2024)). State climate at 2.5, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
2.5
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 2.5/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 2, housing court bias 2.5, rent-control risk 1. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.0 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
5
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 5. Supply constraint: 3.5. The numbers behind those: 16.7% poverty, 4.2% unemployment, 30% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Johnson City sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Johnson City · 31d · ~$2.0k all-in ($63/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 Johnson City, 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.
Johnson City is a city of 72,222 residents where 48.7% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 29.8% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,023/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 Johnson City 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 Johnson City 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 Johnson City's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 2.5/10 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 Johnson City runs $1,179 to $2,734 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 $1,023/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 2/10 in Johnson City, and the city has limited rent control exposure (1/10). 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 Johnson City: 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 $2,734 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Johnson City
Trap · 2.1/10
For landlords, the 3.1/10 score is most actionable when combined with Washington County's specific court behavior. Housing-court bias sub-score: 2.1/10. Standard documentation and prompt action typically resolve cases quickly.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What's the best way to handle a tenant who's consistently late with rent but always pays eventually?
Don't let "eventually" become your standard. In Johnson City, you have clear guidelines. Issue the 14-day pay-or-quit notice every single time rent is late beyond the grace period. Consistency is key. If you let it slide, you're setting a precedent that makes enforcement harder later. You can also consider a lease amendment to adjust the due date if there's a legitimate reason, but make sure it's in writing.
Q2
Can I charge a late fee for rent in Johnson City?
Yes, you can charge a late fee, but it must be "reasonable." Tennessee law doesn't specify an exact cap, but generally, 5-10% of the monthly rent is considered reasonable. Clearly state the late fee amount and when it applies in your lease agreement. Don't try to make late fees a profit center; they're meant to encourage timely payment, not penalize excessively.
Q3
Do I need a lawyer for every eviction in Tennessee?
Not always, especially for straightforward non-payment cases where the tenant doesn't contest. However, if the tenant hires an attorney, files counterclaims, or you're dealing with complex lease violations, hiring your own attorney is highly recommended. An attorney ensures proper legal procedure, saves you time, and reduces the risk of costly errors. Given the Tennessee eviction risk overview, it's generally a low-risk state, but legal expertise can still be invaluable.
Q4
What if a tenant abandons the property?
Tennessee law has specific rules for determining abandonment. Generally, if a tenant has been absent for a certain period (usually 30 days without notice or payment, or 7 days after rent is due and utilities are disconnected), and there's no evidence of intent to return, you can assume abandonment. You'll need to follow state procedures for inventorying and storing their personal property, usually for 30 days, before you can dispose of it. Document everything with photos and witnesses.
Q5
Are there any rent control laws in Johnson City?
No, Tennessee state law explicitly prohibits rent control. This means you have the flexibility to set market rates for your properties. This is reflected in the very low Tennessee rent control rules sub-score of 1. You can increase rent at lease renewal with proper notice, typically 30 days for month-to-month, or at the end of a fixed-term lease.
A 2.3/10 places Johnson City 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.
Neighborhoods in Johnson City (2 with eviction-risk data)
Click a neighborhood to see its pop-weighted score, constituent census tracts, and demographics. Sorted by population.
