According to a new report by AdvisorSmith, a significant number of households across the U.S. continue to be at risk of eviction due to the economic effects of COVID-19. In total, 17.1% of U.S. renters are late or behind on their rent and 49.1% of those households expect to be evicted within the next two months.
Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey from October 28th to November 9th (and combining that data with other factors), the report found that despite the nationwide ban on evictions by the CDC, the application of the ban/moratorium has been unevenly distributed. While some states have landlords and tenants unaware of the moratorium, other states have courts ignoring the order entirely. Additionally, tenants must first qualify for the moratorium, which includes income restrictions and a requirement to seek governmental assistance.
So Which 5 States Are Renters Most At Risk Of Eviction?
The States with the highest risk of eviction include South Carolina with 21.1% of renters at risk, Florida with 15.6%, Maryland with 15.4%, Arizona with 14.9%, and Mississippi with 14.2%.
| States with the Highest Percent of Renters at Risk of Eviction | Percent |
| South Carolina | 21.1% |
| Florida | 15.6% |
| Maryland | 15.4% |
| Arizona | 14.9% |
| Mississippi | 14.2% |
The States with the lowest risk of eviction include Maine with 0.2% of renters at risk, Vermont with 0.9%, Colorado with 2.7%, Hawaii with 2.9%, and Iowa at 3.5%.
| States With The Lowest Percent Of Renters At Risk Of Eviction | Percent |
| Maine | 0.2% |
| Vermont | 0.9% |
| Colorado | 2.7% |
| Hawaii | 2.9% |
| Iowa | 3.5% |
While the $900 billion economic relief bill signed in December does include an extended eviction moratorium until January 21st and a $600 direct payment to individuals, it is unlikely to fully address the issue or lower the amount of renters at risk of eviction. However, the bill does provide some hope, as $25 billion has been allocated for local and state governments to help qualified renters make rent and pay utilities and some states are implementing their own extensions.
According to the bill, “Assistance would be prioritized for renter households whose incomes do not exceed 50 percent of AMI [local area median income] as well as renter households who are currently unemployed and have been unemployed for 90 or more days.”
Risk Of Eviction For Every State
If you’re interested in reading the AdvisorSmith report, click here. If you’re interested in exploring additional economic and housing tools on our site, find them here.
| Rank | State | Percent of Renters Behind on Rent Payment | Percent of Late Payers Likely to be Evicted in Next Two Months | Percent of Renters at Risk of Eviction |
| 1 | South Carolina | 33.9% | 62.2% | 21.1% |
| 2 | Florida | 20.2% | 77.5% | 15.6% |
| 3 | Maryland | 27.3% | 56.6% | 15.4% |
| 4 | Arizona | 22.7% | 65.4% | 14.9% |
| 5 | Mississippi | 33.3% | 42.5% | 14.2% |
| 6 | Georgia | 22.1% | 58.9% | 13% |
| 7 | Delaware | 23.5% | 50.4% | 11.8% |
| 8 | Kansas | 18.6% | 62% | 11.5% |
| 9 | Ohio | 18.2% | 60.3% | 11% |
| 10 | Arkansas | 17% | 64% | 10.9% |
| 11 | Oklahoma | 20.2% | 53.8% | 10.8% |
| 12 | Utah | 17.1% | 62.9% | 10.8% |
| 13 | Louisiana | 21.3% | 49.9% | 10.6% |
| 14 | Connecticut | 15.2% | 67.3% | 10.2% |
| 15 | Nevada | 15.5% | 65.8% | 10.2% |
| 16 | South Dakota | 11.2% | 89.6% | 10.0% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 16.0% | 59.6% | 9.6% |
| 18 | Illinois | 20.0% | 47.1% | 9.4% |
| 19 | Michigan | 17.5% | 53.3% | 9.3% |
| 20 | Tennessee | 20.0% | 46.3% | 9.3% |
| 21 | New Jersey | 15.9% | 55.3% | 8.8% |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | 23.0% | 37.4% | 8.6% |
| 23 | New Mexico | 31.2% | 27.2% | 8.5% |
| 24 | Alaska | 15.7% | 53.2% | 8.4% |
| 25 | Indiana | 17.0% | 49.1% | 8.4% |
| 26 | Massachusetts | 15.8% | 51.0% | 8.1% |
| 27 | New York | 28.0% | 28.6% | 8.0% |
| 28 | Minnesota | 14.9% | 51.9% | 7.7% |
| 29 | Texas | 13.2% | 56.7% | 7.5% |
| 30 | Idaho | 12.1% | 54.8% | 6.6% |
| 31 | Rhode Island | 20.5% | 31.8% | 6.5% |
| 32 | New Hampshire | 12.6% | 51.0% | 6.4% |
| 33 | West Virginia | 18.5% | 33.6% | 6.2% |
| 34 | Nebraska | 14.1% | 43.6% | 6.1% |
| 35 | District of Columbia | 15.8% | 37.5% | 5.9% |
| 36 | Missouri | 10.3% | 53.9% | 5.6% |
| 37 | Montana | 12.3% | 39.7% | 4.9% |
| 38 | Wyoming | 13.0% | 37.2% | 4.8% |
| 39 | Washington | 12.5% | 37.5% | 4.7% |
| 40 | Kentucky | 14.8% | 31.7% | 4.7% |
| 41 | Virginia | 14.1% | 31.7% | 4.5% |
| 42 | North Dakota | 10.2% | 40.9% | 4.2% |
| 43 | Oregon | 9.3% | 44.3% | 4.1% |
| 44 | Alabama | 15.6% | 26.1% | 4.1% |
| 45 | California | 9.5% | 42.4% | 4.0% |
| 46 | Wisconsin | 10.0% | 38.2% | 3.8% |
| 47 | Iowa | 11.5% | 30.2% | 3.5% |
| 48 | Hawaii | 10.4% | 27.6% | 2.9% |
| 49 | Colorado | 8.4% | 32.7% | 2.7% |
| 50 | Vermont | 8.1% | 10.7% | 0.9% |