Weakley County, Tennessee Eviction Risk: Very Low

Weakley County carries a composite eviction-risk score of 2.2/10, placing it in the Low-risk tier, yet that number deserves context: the county ranks 7th of 95 counties in Tennessee, meaning only 6 counties statewide post a higher score. Landlords and investors evaluating this market in northwest Tennessee are looking at a jurisdiction that sits in the higher-risk third of the state, even though the absolute score appears modest. With average rent at $803 per month and a rent-burden rate of 26.9%, tenant finances are under real pressure, and a 22.1% poverty rate reinforces that collections risk is genuine rather than theoretical.

Across all 7 cities, scores range from 2.8 to 3.6, a spread of 0.8 points that signals meaningfully different operating conditions depending on exactly where a property sits. Renter share countywide stands at 46.5%, so nearly half of all occupied housing is tenant-occupied, giving landlords a deep but price-sensitive pool to draw from. Underwriting conservatively on credit and income remains the primary lever for keeping vacancy and nonpayment losses in check.

The cities inside Weakley County

The highest-risk location in the county is Martin at 3.6/10, the county seat and by far the largest city with a population of 10,915. Its score reflects the concentration of lower-income renters that typically accompanies a university town, and landlords operating there should expect a faster pace of tenant turnover than the county average would suggest. Sharon scores 2.2/10 (population 1,036), sitting just below Martin on the risk ladder, while Dresden comes in at 3.4/10 (population 2,943), the county's second-largest city and a more moderate-risk option for investors seeking scale outside Martin.

At the lower end, Palmersville records the county's lowest score at 2.8/10, and Dukedom follows at 3.1/10, both very small communities where the thin rental market limits both opportunity and exposure. Risk in Weakley County is genuinely hyper-local: a landlord holding units in Martin faces a meaningfully different operating environment than one holding units in Palmersville, even though both addresses share the same county courthouse.

State-level laws that apply here

Tennessee state law under T.C.A. § 66-28 (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) governs most residential tenancies in the county. Because Weakley County has a population under 75,000, landlords should verify which notice framework applies to each tenancy: URLTA-covered leases require a 7-day notice for nonpayment of rent (TCA § 66-28-505 as amended by SB-1088) and a 14-day notice for material breach (TCA § 66-28-505), while non-curable breaches require only a 3-day notice (TCA § 66-28-517). Non-URLTA tenancies in counties under 75,000 population fall under TCA Title 29 Chapter 18, which requires a 30-day notice. Court filing fees run $200 to $300, sheriff lockout fees range from $40 to $150, and attorney fees typically fall between $500 and $2,500. Uncontested cases resolve in roughly 21 to 45 days; contested matters can stretch to 45 to 120 days. Understanding the Tennessee eviction process in full before filing is critical to managing these timelines. Tennessee state law also preempts local rent control, so there are no municipal caps to contend with, and just cause is not required to terminate a lease, both features that favor landlords. For a complete breakdown of what a removal costs from filing through lockout, see the Tennessee eviction costs guide.

With a poverty rate of 22.1% and nearly half of all households renting, the risk profile inside Weakley County varies sharply by city, so reviewing the individual city scores in the grid above before committing to any specific address is well worth the time.