Hampton, Virginia Eviction Risk: Moderate

Hampton city County carries a 4.3/10 Moderate eviction-risk score, placing it among the higher-risk third of all 132 jurisdictions in Virginia eviction laws. With only 22 counties scoring worse and 109 scoring better, landlords here face conditions that are meaningfully more challenging than the statewide norm. The county covers a single incorporated city, so that 5.4 to 5.4 range reflects a uniform operating environment rather than a patchwork of micro-markets. At an average rent of $1,427 per month and a renter share of 43.1%, the rental base is substantial but carries notable cost-burden pressure: renters allocate an average of 34.1% of their income to housing, a figure that correlates directly with late-payment risk and the likelihood that a tenancy tips toward formal proceedings.

The county's population of 137,557 and its 13% poverty rate signal a tenant pool that is large but financially stretched. For investors accustomed to lower-risk suburban Virginia markets, Hampton city County demands tighter screening protocols, more conservative vacancy underwriting, and a clear-eyed plan for handling the legal timeline when evictions become necessary.

The cities inside Hampton city County

Because Hampton city County is coterminous with a single independent city, risk is effectively uniform across the jurisdiction. Hampton (population 137,557, score 4.3/10) is both the highest-risk and only city in the county. There is no low-risk pocket to retreat to within this market. That concentration of risk in one municipality means landlords cannot diversify exposure simply by choosing a different neighborhood ZIP code inside the county line; the legal and demographic headwinds apply across the board.

For context, comparable-scoring Virginia jurisdictions include Newport News city at 5.3/10 and Harrisonburg city at 5.39/10, while Chesterfield County comes in slightly higher at 5.48/10. Hampton sits comfortably in that mid-to-upper-moderate band, distinct from the state's most distressed markets but well above the lower-risk suburban corridors farther west and south.

State-level laws that apply here

All Virginia landlords, including those operating in Hampton, are governed by the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Va. Code § 55.1-1200 et seq.). Notice requirements are strictly tiered: 5 days for nonpayment of rent (Va. Code § 55.1-1245), 21 days for a curable material lease violation (Va. Code § 55.1-1245(A)), 30 days for a non-curable material breach (Va. Code § 55.1-1245(B)), and 30 days to terminate a month-to-month tenancy (Va. Code § 55.1-1253). The full Virginia eviction process, from notice through writ of possession, runs 21 to 45 days on uncontested cases and 45 to 120 days when a tenant contests. Virginia eviction costs include 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 case complexity.

Virginia does not require just cause to terminate a tenancy, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, meaning Hampton cannot impose its own rent cap. Landlords must give 24 hours advance notice before entering an occupied unit (Va. Code § 55.1-1220). Source-of-income is not a protected class under Virginia state law, though landlords should verify any local ordinances independently. For a full breakdown of allowable deposits and lease terms, see Virginia security deposit limits and Virginia tenant protections.

With a poverty rate of 13% and 43.1% of residents renting, Hampton city County's tenant pool is sizeable and cost-pressured; review the city grid above to see how Hampton eviction risk's 4.3/10 score compares with peer markets across Virginia before committing capital here.