Chesapeake, Virginia Eviction Risk: Moderate

Chesapeake city County carries an average eviction-risk score of 4.5/10, placing it in the Moderate tier for landlords and investors operating across its 1 incorporated city. Because every tracked city in the county comes in at the same 4.5/10, the intra-county range is flat, which means the operating environment is consistent throughout the jurisdiction. Within Virginia as a whole, Chesapeake city County ranks 76 of 132 counties, putting it squarely in the middle third of the state: 75 Virginia eviction laws counties carry higher risk, and 56 are more landlord-friendly. For investors, that positioning signals a market that is neither a regulatory minefield nor an unusually forgiving environment.

Renters make up roughly 25.7% of occupied households here, and average rent runs $1,586 per month. The average rent-burden rate of 33.8% is worth tracking: when tenants are stretching to cover housing costs, the probability of payment disruptions edges upward. Against that backdrop, a Moderate score is realistic, and landlords should price vacancy risk accordingly.

The cities inside Chesapeake city County

Chesapeake city County contains a single tracked city, Chesapeake, which is home to 252,583 residents and carries a risk score of 4.5/10. Because the city and the county are coextensive, there is no meaningful intra-county spread to arbitrage. Risk in this jurisdiction is driven entirely by the conditions in Chesapeake itself.

That concentration means due diligence must focus at the neighborhood and tract level rather than on city-to-city comparisons. Eviction risk is hyper-local, and even within a single mid-tier city, vacancy rates, tenant income stability, and local court backlogs can vary materially from one zip code to the next. Investors targeting Chesapeake should review tract-level scores in the interactive map above before committing to a specific submarket.

State-level laws that apply here

Landlords in Chesapeake city County operate under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Va. Code § 55.1-1200 et seq.). For nonpayment of rent, Virginia law requires a 5-day pay-or-quit notice before filing (Va. Code § 55.1-1245). A curable lease violation requires a 21-day cure-or-quit notice (Va. Code § 55.1-1245(A)), while a material non-curable breach triggers a 30-day unconditional notice (Va. Code § 55.1-1245(B)). Ending a month-to-month tenancy also requires 30 days notice (Va. Code § 55.1-1253). Virginia does not require just cause for non-renewal, and the state preempts local rent-control ordinances, so no local rent cap can be layered on top of state law.

Understanding the Virginia eviction process is essential before your first filing: court filing fees run $58 to $90, sheriff lockout fees add $40 to $150, and attorney fees typically range from $500 to $3,000. An uncontested case resolves in roughly 21 to 45 days; a contested case can stretch to 45 to 120 days. Factoring in Virginia eviction costs at the outset helps landlords set realistic reserves. Virginia law also requires 24 hours notice before a landlord may enter an occupied unit (Va. Code § 55.1-1220).

With a poverty rate of 8.7% and a renter share of 25.7%, Chesapeake city County sits at a manageable but not negligible risk baseline; review the city grid above to compare tract-level scores before making site-specific investment decisions.