Accomack County, Virginia Eviction Risk: Low

Accomack County, Virginia scores 3.4/10 (Moderate) for eviction risk, landing at rank 65 of 132 Virginia eviction laws counties, meaning 64 counties carry higher risk and 67 are considered more landlord-friendly. For investors evaluating this rural Eastern Shore market, the county average masks meaningful variation: scores across its 48 cities and communities run from 3.6 to 5.1, a range that makes granular, address-level due diligence essential before acquiring or managing rental property here.

The county's 32.9% renter share is moderate by Virginia eviction laws standards, and an average rent of $994 positions this as an affordable, working-class rental market. Average rent burden sits at 25.7% of income, which is not severe, but a 17.3% poverty rate signals that tenant income volatility is a real underwriting concern. Landlords who price units near market rate and screen carefully can operate profitably, but cushion against nonpayment is thinner here than in higher-income Virginia markets.

The cities inside Accomack County

Risk is genuinely hyper-local within Accomack County. At the top of the range, Metompkin and Whitesville each score 5.1/10, the highest readings in the county. Several additional communities, including Accomac (population 948, 5/10), Pastoria (population 863, 5/10), Melfa, Chase Crossing, Keller, and Cats Bridge, all score 5/10. Landlords concentrating holdings in these villages should budget for a higher probability of contested proceedings and longer vacancy cycles between tenants.

At the lower end of the spectrum, Captains Cove (population 1,542) and Parksley (population 867) both score 4.4/10, representing meaningfully better operating conditions than the county's riskiest pockets. Chincoteague, the county's largest community at 3,296 residents, sits at 4.7/10, a middle-of-the-road result. The spread from 3.6 to 5.1 within a single county underscores why blanket county-level risk ratings tell only part of the story.

State-level laws that apply here

All residential landlords in Accomack County operate under Va. Code § 55.1-1200 et seq. (Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). For nonpayment of rent, Virginia law requires a 5-day notice before filing. A curable material lease violation triggers a 21-day notice under Va. Code § 55.1-1245(A), while a non-curable material breach requires 30 days. Ending a month-to-month tenancy also requires 30 days notice. Understanding the Virginia eviction process from the outset reduces errors that restart the clock. Virginia does not require just cause to terminate a tenancy, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so no locality in Virginia can cap your rents.

On cost, court filing fees run $58 to $90, sheriff lockout fees $40 to $150, and attorney fees typically $500 to $3,000, depending on complexity. Uncontested cases resolve in 21 to 45 days; contested cases can stretch to 45 to 120 days. For a full breakdown of what you will spend, review Virginia eviction costs before your first filing. Virginia security deposit limits and Virginia tenant protections under Va. Code § 55.1-1258 (retaliation) and § 55.1-1220 (habitability) are additional statutes landlords should have in hand before serving any notice.

With a 17.3% poverty rate and roughly one in three households renting, Accomack County carries meaningful baseline tenant-financial risk; use the city grid above to identify which of the county's 48 communities fall in the lower-risk 3.6 to 4.4 range versus the higher-risk 5.0 to 5.1 cluster before committing capital.