Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from county average, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
19.3%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Chitina, AK, tenants prevail in roughly 19.3% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
47d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Chitina, AK until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 47 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.4–5.0k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Chitina, AK costs landlords $1,374 to $5,016 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,113
23% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Chitina, AK is $1,113 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 23% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
60.9%
of households
60.9% of occupied housing units in Chitina, AK are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
67.0%
12.5% unemp.
67.0% of Chitina, AK residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 12.5%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
1.8
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
3.7
State political climate
Alaska legislature & governorship
2.2
Economic stress
67.0% poverty · 12.5% unemp.
5.5
Supply constraint
$1,113 average · 60.9% renters
6.6
Rent Control risk
22.8% of income on rent
3.0
Eviction process difficulty
47 days filing → judgment
1.8
Tenant organizing strength
60.9% renters
9.3
Housing court bias
County bench composition
6.5
Geographic context
Risk heat across Chitina and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Chitina compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Copper River Census Area
Low
#13of 20 cities
#13 of 20 cities in Copper River Census Area for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Alaska
Very Low
#291of 353 cities
#291 of 353 cities in Alaska for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.7
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 2.7/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+0.4 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
47d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $1,113/mo. A contested eviction takes 47 days and costs $1,374–$5,016 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
60.9%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 100 residents, 60.9% rent. 23% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 67.0% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
2.8
Local + regional
The politics
Light-statute interior market.
Local & regional political climate score 1.8 and 3.7. State climate at 2.2, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
2.2
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 2.2/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 1.8, housing court bias 6.5, rent-control risk 3. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.2 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
5.5
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 5.5. Supply constraint: 6.6. The numbers behind those: 67.0% poverty, 12.5% unemployment, 23% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Chitina sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Chitina · 47d · ~$3.2k all-in ($68/day) · score 2.7National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Chitina, Alaska, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.7/10 (LOW tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Chitina is a city of 100 residents where 60.9% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 22.8% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,113/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Chitina eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 1.8/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Chitina closes 47 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Chitina's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 6.5/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Chitina runs $1,374 to $5,016 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 47 days of typical timeline and $1,113/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 9.3/10 in Chitina, and the city has limited rent control exposure (3/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In Alaska, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Chitina: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a LOW tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match Alaska's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $5,016 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Chitina
Trap · 60.9%
60.9% renter share against 100 residents produces roughly 61 rental occupants in Chitina. Eviction filings tend to cluster in the multifamily rental corridor.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
Can I evict a tenant in Chitina without a reason?
Yes, for month-to-month tenancies or when a fixed-term lease is ending, you can generally terminate the tenancy without "just cause" by providing proper notice (typically 30 days in Alaska). However, you cannot evict for discriminatory reasons or in retaliation for a tenant exercising their legal rights.
Q2
How long does an eviction take if the tenant doesn't fight it?
Even if a tenant doesn't contest the eviction, there are still notice periods and court processing times. You're still looking at a minimum of 2-3 weeks, potentially longer, from the day you serve the initial notice until you can legally regain possession. The 47-day average includes contested cases, but even uncontested ones aren't immediate.
Q3
What if the tenant abandons the property?
If you believe a tenant has abandoned the property, Alaska law has specific procedures. Generally, you need to send a notice of abandonment and wait a certain number of days (usually 14) before you can legally re-enter and take possession. Do not just change the locks without following the legal process, as this could lead to legal trouble for you. Document everything, including condition of the property and any personal belongings left behind.
Q4
Can I charge late fees on rent?
Yes, your lease should clearly state the amount of any late fees. Alaska law doesn't specify a maximum late fee, but they must be reasonable and reflect your actual costs incurred due to the late payment. Excessive late fees could be challenged in court.
Q5
Do I need to hire a lawyer for an eviction in Chitina?
You are not legally required to hire a lawyer, but it's highly recommended, especially if the tenant contests the eviction or if you're unfamiliar with court procedures. Mistakes in paperwork or process can cause significant delays and added costs. An attorney can ensure you follow all steps correctly and represent your interests effectively. For more on tenant protections that might influence your decisions, see our Alaska tenant protections guide.
A 2.7/10 places Chitina in the 19th percentile of Alaska cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has climbed steadily since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Cities with similar eviction risk to Chitina (2.7/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
