Lowndes County sits on Mississippi’s eastern border with Alabama in the heart of the region known as the Golden Triangle — a three-county economic zone anchored by Columbus, Starkville (Oktibbeha County), and West Point (Clay County) that has emerged as one of northeast Mississippi’s most productive manufacturing and educational clusters. Columbus, the county seat, is a city of roughly 23,000 with a deep historical identity — the Mississippi Legislature met here after the fall of Jackson during the Civil War, and Columbus’s Friendship Cemetery is widely credited as the birthplace of Memorial Day, when local women in 1866 placed flowers on the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers. Today Columbus is home to Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi University for Women, the Mississippi School of Mathematics and Science, and a diversified manufacturing base anchored by the Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway’s industrial corridor.
The rental market in Lowndes County is shaped by three major demand drivers: military personnel from Columbus AFB seeking off-base housing, university students and faculty from MUW, and manufacturing and healthcare workers. More than half of Columbus’s occupied housing units are renter-occupied — an unusually high ratio driven in part by the transient nature of military tenancies. Lowndes County has a County Court, which holds exclusive jurisdiction over eviction proceedings under Mississippi Code § 9-9-21. The County Court is located in Columbus at 505 2nd Avenue North.
📊 Quick Stats
County Seat
Columbus
Population
~58,900 (2020 census)
Key Communities
Columbus, Caledonia, Artesia, Mayhew, Crawford
Court System
County Court & Justice Court
Typical Rent Range
~$700–$1,050/mo
Rent Control
None
Just-Cause Eviction
Not required
⚡ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate
Lease Violation
14-Day Notice to Cure or Vacate
Month-to-Month Term.
30-Day Written Notice
Filing Fee
~$75–$100 (confirm with clerk)
Hearing Set
3–5 days from summons
Max Timeline
45 days from filing (hard cap)
Security Deposit Return
45 days after demand
Statute
Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-7-27, 89-8-13
Lowndes County Ordinances & Local Rules
Topic
Rule / Notes
Rental Licensing
No county-level rental license required. Mississippi has no statewide landlord licensing statute. The City of Columbus may have local code enforcement and habitability inspection requirements for rental properties. Verify with Columbus’s Planning & Development or code enforcement office before renting, particularly for multi-unit properties. Unincorporated county properties are not subject to city codes.
Rent Control
None. Mississippi has no statewide rent control and Lowndes County has no local rent control ordinance. Landlords may raise rents freely at lease renewal.
Security Deposit
No statutory cap under Mississippi law. Return with itemized written accounting within 45 days after termination, delivery of possession, and written tenant demand. Wrongful retention: $200 plus actual damages (Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-21).
Court Filing — County Court (Primary Venue)
Lowndes County Court holds exclusive jurisdiction over unlawful entry and detainer (eviction) proceedings under Miss. Code Ann. § 9-9-21. Address: 505 2nd Avenue North, Room 260 (P.O. Box 31), Columbus, MS 39703. Phone: (662) 329-5900. Fax: (662) 329-5935. Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Confirm current judge assignment and filing procedures with the clerk before appearing.
Justice Court
Lowndes County Justice Court: 309 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Columbus, MS 39701. Phone: (662) 329-5929. Justice Court handles civil matters and misdemeanors, but County Court has exclusive eviction jurisdiction. Confirm venue with the County Court clerk before filing any eviction action.
Columbus Air Force Base & SCRA
Columbus Air Force Base (CAFB) is one of the largest employers in the county and generates substantial off-base rental demand. Military tenants are protected by the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Active-duty personnel can terminate leases with 30 days notice plus PCS, deployment, or separation orders — landlords cannot charge early termination fees. Before serving any notice or filing an eviction against a potential military tenant, verify active-duty status through the DMDC SCRA database at scra.dmdc.osd.mil. SCRA violations carry federal civil liability.
MUW & MSMS Student Housing
Mississippi University for Women and the Mississippi School of Mathematics and Science both generate off-campus rental demand in Columbus. MUW tenants require 12-month leases (not academic-year) to prevent summer vacancies and co-signer arrangements for student tenants. Faculty and staff are reliable long-term tenants. The Derrick Beard Act (§ 89-8-29) allows a co-signer to terminate a lease upon the lessee’s death.
Source of Income
No state or local source of income protections. Landlords are not required to accept Housing Choice Vouchers. Columbus’s 21%+ poverty rate creates real HCV demand in the affordable rental segment.
Self-Help Eviction
Mississippi permits self-help eviction only if: (1) the written lease explicitly reserves this right, and (2) it is accomplished without a breach of the peace. Lockouts are always prohibited. County Court proceedings are the proper and safest remedy.
Mississippi has two parallel eviction frameworks: Chapter 7 (§89-7-27, general/non-residential) and Chapter 8 (§89-8-13, Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). For RESIDENTIAL tenants, §89-8-13(5) provides the 3-day notice for nonpayment. Tenant can stop the eviction by paying all unpaid rent and costs by the court-ordered move-out date. After judgment, court orders tenant to vacate within 7 days (§89-8-39(1)). Tenant has 72 hours after writ execution to remove personal property (§89-7-31). Filing fees typically $75-$100 depending on county. Notice can be delivered via email/text if tenant agreed in writing to receive notices that way.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Justice Court / County Court. Pay the filing fee (~$75).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Mississippi eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Mississippi attorney or local legal aid organization.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Military tenants: Verify active-duty status before any notice or filing. SCRA compliance is non-negotiable. Strong income profiles but lease termination rights differ from civilian tenants.
Civilian market: Manufacturing (Golden Triangle industrial corridor), MUW/MSMS faculty and staff, and healthcare workers are the most stable profiles. Screen at 3x rent minimum with full eviction history.
Background checks, eviction history, credit reports — get the full picture before handing over the keys.
Lowndes County Mississippi Landlord-Tenant Law: A Guide for Columbus and Golden Triangle Rental Property Owners
Lowndes County anchors the western corner of the Golden Triangle — northeast Mississippi’s three-county manufacturing and educational powerhouse — with Columbus serving as the county seat and the region’s most historically rich city. Columbus carries a distinctive identity: it briefly housed the Mississippi Legislature during the Civil War when Jackson fell to Union forces, and in 1866 its Friendship Cemetery is credited as the location of the first Memorial Day observance, when local women placed flowers on the graves of soldiers from both sides of the conflict. Today Columbus is a mid-sized city of about 23,000 anchored by Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi University for Women, the Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway industrial corridor, and the Mississippi School of Mathematics and Science. For landlords, this combination of military, academic, and manufacturing employment creates one of the more diverse and active rental markets in northeast Mississippi.
Columbus AFB and the Military Rental Market
Columbus Air Force Base is among the county’s largest employers and generates the most distinctive segment of the local rental market: military personnel and their families seeking off-base housing. This tenant segment brings reliable, verifiable income — military pay scales are published and consistent — but also brings federal lease protections that every Lowndes County landlord must understand. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) allows active-duty personnel who receive orders for a permanent change of station, deployment of 90 days or more, or separation from service to terminate any lease with 30 days written notice plus a copy of the orders. No early termination fees can be charged. Before serving any eviction notice or filing any court action against a tenant who may be on active duty, verify military status through the Defense Manpower Data Center’s SCRA database at scra.dmdc.osd.mil. Proceeding against an active-duty servicemember without proper SCRA compliance exposes landlords to federal civil liability.
Evictions in Lowndes County: County Court in Columbus
Lowndes County has a County Court, which holds exclusive jurisdiction over unlawful entry and detainer (eviction) proceedings under Mississippi Code § 9-9-21. The County Court is located at 505 2nd Avenue North, Room 260 (P.O. Box 31), Columbus, MS 39703, phone (662) 329-5900. Despite the Lowndes County Justice Court listing eviction in its general jurisdiction description, the County Court has exclusive statutory authority over these actions — always file evictions with the County Court. The Justice Court (309 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, (662) 329-5929) handles other civil and criminal matters.
Every eviction begins with written notice. For nonpayment, a 3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate is required (§ 89-7-27). For lease violations, a 14-Day Notice to Cure or Vacate (§ 89-8-13). After the notice period expires, file a sworn Complaint for Unlawful Entry and Detainer with the County Court clerk. The court schedules a hearing within days of summons service, and the entire proceeding is capped at 45 days from filing. The Lowndes County Sheriff enforces Writs of Possession. Tenants who pay all rent, fees, and court costs before the writ physically issues may stay the proceedings under § 89-7-45.
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed Mississippi attorney or contact Lowndes County Court at (662) 329-5900 for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Landlord-tenant law is subject to change and may vary based on individual circumstances. Consult a licensed Mississippi attorney or contact Lowndes County Court for specific guidance. Last updated: March 2026.
