Augusta County, Virginia Eviction Risk: Low

Augusta County's county-wide eviction risk averages 3.3/10 (Moderate) across 14 cities, placing it squarely in the middle third of Virginia's 132 counties. With 58 counties scoring higher and 73 scoring lower, Augusta County is not a standout on either end of the risk spectrum, but landlords should not mistake a moderate county average for uniform conditions on the ground. Average rent sits at $1,190 per month, and renters make up just 26.5% of households, a relatively small renter pool that can tighten vacancy absorption when a unit turns over.

The intra-county score range runs from 4 to 5, which is a narrow band but not a flat one. A landlord acquiring in the lowest-risk pockets operates under meaningfully different risk conditions than one concentrated in the highest-risk communities. Rent burden averages 29.1% of income, a figure that sits close to the conventional stress threshold and signals that tenants across the county have limited financial cushion when income disruptions hit.

The cities inside Augusta County

The highest eviction risk in Augusta County is concentrated in Fishersville, which scores 5/10 and is home to roughly 9,484 residents. Fishersville is the county's riskiest market by this model and warrants extra scrutiny on applicant screening and cash-flow underwriting. Close behind are Stuarts Draft at 4.9/10 (population 11,780, the largest community in the dataset) and Jolivue, also at 4.9/10. Verona comes in at 3.3/10 and Craigsville at 4.7/10, both still above the county average.

On the lower end, Greenville scores 4.3/10 and Dooms scores 4.2/10, the two communities with the most landlord-favorable risk profiles in the county. Crimora lands at 4.5/10. Even the lowest scores in Augusta County are not especially low by Virginia eviction laws standards, so this is not a low-risk county regardless of which city a landlord selects. Risk is hyper-local, and a few miles of distance can shift the profile noticeably within the same county lines.

State-level laws that apply here

All residential landlord-tenant activity in Augusta County is governed by the Virginia eviction laws Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Va. Code § 55.1-1200 et seq.). For nonpayment of rent, landlords must serve a 5-day written notice before filing. A material lease violation requires a 21-day cure notice, and a material non-curable breach or end of a month-to-month tenancy each require 30 days. Virginia eviction laws does not require just cause for non-renewal and, critically, state law preempts any local rent control ordinance, so no locality in Virginia eviction laws can cap rents. For a full walkthrough of procedures, the Virginia eviction laws eviction process guide covers each step from notice through writ of possession.

Once an eviction is filed, landlords should budget for a court filing fee of $58 to $90, a sheriff lockout fee of $40 to $150, and attorney fees that typically range from $500 to $3,000 depending on complexity. An uncontested case resolves in roughly 21 to 45 days; a contested case can stretch to 45 to 120 days. The Virginia eviction costs guide breaks down what to expect at each stage and by court type. Virginia requires 24 hours notice before a landlord may enter an occupied unit, per Va. Code § 55.1-1220.

With an average poverty rate of 10% and renters representing 26.5% of Augusta County households, the tenant base is relatively small but not without financial stress; review the city grid above to identify which specific communities within the county carry the most concentrated risk before committing to an acquisition or portfolio expansion here.