Pacific County, Washington Eviction Risk: Elevated

Pacific County, Washington eviction laws carries a county-average eviction-risk score of 6.5/10, placing it in the Moderate tier and right in the middle of the state: 24 of Washington eviction laws's 39 counties score higher (riskier), and 14 score lower (more landlord-friendly). For investors sizing up this coastal market, that ranking translates to manageable but real operating friction. The average rent across the county's 12 cities sits at $1,048, renter cost burden averages 28.5% of income, and only 25.2% of residents rent, which points to a thin, somewhat stressed tenant pool concentrated in a handful of small towns.

The intra-county score band runs from 4.7 to 5.3 out of 10, a spread that matters more than the county average alone. In a county where the largest community, Raymond, holds just over 3,200 residents and the total tracked population across all 12 cities is roughly 12,500, individual city dynamics shift the risk picture meaningfully. Landlords who treat Pacific County as a single uniform market will miss the variation that determines whether a given asset performs or becomes a problem.

The cities inside Pacific County

The highest-risk addresses in the county are South Bend (5.3/10, population 1,869) and Ilwaco (5.3/10, population 1,365), both sitting at the county ceiling. Tokeland comes in just behind at 5.2/10, and Long Beach at 5.1/10 (population 1,792) adds meaningful size to the upper-risk tier. These communities share a combination of indicators, including elevated poverty and cost-burden figures, that push collection and eviction risk above the county norm.

On the lower end, Naselle posts the county's most favorable score at 4.7/10, followed by Raymond, Chinook, and Lebam, each at 4.8/10. Raymond is the county's largest city by population at 3,210 and scores better than most of its peers, which makes it the most liquid submarket for investors who want scale with somewhat reduced operational risk. Risk is genuinely hyper-local here: two towns separated by a short drive can carry scores a half-point apart, enough to shift expected eviction frequency and carrying costs on a small portfolio.

State-level laws that apply here

Every rental in Pacific County operates under RCW § 59.18 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Act), which governs notice requirements, habitability standards, and landlord entry. For nonpayment of rent, the required notice is 14 days (RCW 59.18.057). A material, curable lease breach requires 10 days notice (RCW 59.12.030(4)), while waste, nuisance, or unlawful activity compresses that to just 3 days (RCW 59.12.030(5)). No-cause termination for tenancies under six months requires 20 days, and just-cause no-fault grounds such as owner move-in or substantial rehab require 90 days (RCW 59.18.650). Washington just-cause protections apply statewide, meaning landlords cannot terminate month-to-month tenancies without a qualifying reason. Landlords researching the full procedural sequence should review the Washington eviction laws eviction process guide, which covers filing timelines and court procedure in detail.

On the cost side, the court filing fee is a flat $83, sheriff lockout fees run $50 to $150, and attorney fees typically range from $1,000 to $3,500. An uncontested case resolves in roughly 30 to 60 days; a contested matter can stretch to 60 to 150 days. Washington eviction laws also imposes a rent-increase cap of 7% plus CPI, maximum 10% annually. For a full breakdown of what landlords spend when a tenancy goes wrong, the Washington eviction costs guide covers each fee category. Source of income is a protected class under Washington eviction laws state law (Washington eviction laws State Human Rights Commission), which affects tenant screening decisions across the county.

With a poverty rate averaging 15.2% across Pacific County's cities and only about one in four residents renting, the tenant pool here is small and financially constrained, making tenant selection the single most effective risk-reduction tool available. The city-by-city score grid above shows exactly where within the county that risk is concentrated.