Pendleton County, West Virginia Eviction Risk: Low

Pendleton County, West Virginia scores 2.6/10 (Low) across its 3 incorporated places, placing it among the more landlord-friendly markets in the state. With a score range of 1.5 to 3.2 across the county, conditions vary meaningfully from one community to the next, but the overall picture is one of restrained eviction risk and modest regulatory burden. At rank 47 of 55 West Virginia counties, only 8 counties in the state are less risky, and 46 are riskier, confirming Pendleton County sits comfortably in the lower-risk third of the state.

For landlords and investors, the county's average rent of $715 and a rent burden of just 21.2% of income suggest tenants are not acutely cost-stressed, which tends to correlate with steadier payment behavior and fewer forced evictions. A renter share of 38.1% means a real rental market exists here, even if the total tracked population of 747 keeps deal volume limited. The high poverty rate of 24.8% is worth watching, as it can amplify volatility when tenants face income shocks, but in combination with a below-average risk score it has not yet translated into elevated eviction pressure.

The cities inside Pendleton County

Franklin is the county's highest-risk market at 3.2/10 and is also its most populous, with 435 residents. That score is still solidly in the Low tier, but investors sizing up Franklin should treat it as the county's most active and most consequential rental market, not a no-risk holdout. Its score ties exactly with peer county Doddridge County's average, so it is far from an outlier by West Virginia standards.

Brandywine scores 1.9/10 with a population of 267, while Whitmer, the smallest community, comes in at 1.5/10 with only 45 residents. The spread from 1.5 to 3.2 within a single county is a reminder that risk is hyper-local: a landlord operating in Whitmer faces a materially different environment than one in Franklin, even though both sit within the same county boundary. Investors should underwrite at the city level, not the county average.

State-level laws that apply here

Under West Virginia state law (W. Va. Code § 37-6 (Landlord and Tenant)), landlords pursuing eviction for non-payment of rent may proceed without a waiting notice period. Lease violations require a 14-day cure notice, and ending a tenancy without cause requires 30 days. The West Virginia eviction process, from filing through lockout, runs 21 to 45 days uncontested and 45 to 100 days when contested. Those timelines are meaningful: even a straightforward case can stretch past six weeks.

On West Virginia eviction costs, landlords should budget for court filing fees of $75 to $150, sheriff lockout fees of $30 to $125, and attorney fees of $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity and whether the case is fought. West Virginia does not require just cause to terminate a tenancy, and state law preempts local rent control, meaning no municipality in the county can impose a rent cap. Source-of-income is not a protected class under state statute, though federal fair housing rules still apply.

With a poverty rate of 24.8% and a renter share of 38.1%, Pendleton County's fundamentals are mixed, but its Low risk score reflects a market that has stayed relatively stable; see the city grid above for Franklin, Brandywine, and Whitmer breakdowns before committing capital to any specific location.