In court-decided eviction outcomes for Quartzsite, AZ, tenants prevail in roughly 24.4% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation — landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
40d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Quartzsite, AZ until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 40 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.6–4.2k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Quartzsite, AZ costs landlords $1,592 to $4,235 all-in — court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$836
43% stretched on rent
Median gross rent in Quartzsite, AZ is $836 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 43% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent — the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
28.8%
of households
28.8% of occupied housing units in Quartzsite, AZ 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
26.5%
55.1% unemp.
26.5% of Quartzsite, AZ residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 55.1%. 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
GOP margin +44.2% (2024)
3.8
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
3.8
State political climate
Arizona legislature & governorship
2.2
Economic stress
26.5% poverty · 55.1% unemp.
9.4
Supply constraint
$836 average · 28.8% renters
5.2
Rent Control risk
42.9% of income on rent
8.3
Eviction process difficulty
40 days filing → judgment
2.2
Tenant organizing strength
28.8% renters
8.0
Housing court bias
County bench composition
8.5
Geographic context
Risk heat across Quartzsite and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Quartzsite compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in La Paz County
Very High
#1of 19 cities
#1 of 19 cities in La Paz County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Arizona
High
#56of 464 cities
#56 of 464 cities in Arizona for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
5.2
/ 10 · MODERATE
The verdict
A Moderate-tier market.
Composite 5.2/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a sharp climb.
50-yr trend+3.5 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steepening since 2010 · COVID inflection visible
40d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $836/mo. A contested eviction takes 40 days and costs $1,592–$4,235 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
28.8%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 1,877 residents, 28.8% rent. 43% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 26.5% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
3.8
Local + regional
The politics
Light-statute interior market.
Local & regional political climate score 3.8 and 3.8 (GOP margin +44.2% (2024)). State climate at 2.2 — 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 shows up in process. Eviction process difficulty reads 2.2, housing court bias 8.5, rent-control risk 8.3. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-2.8 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
9.4
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the real risk.
Economic stress: 9.4. Supply constraint: 5.2. The numbers behind those: 26.5% poverty, 55.1% unemployment, 43% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Quartzsite sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Quartzsite · 40d · ~$2.9k all-in ($73/day) · score 5.2National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Quartzsite, Arizona, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 5.2/10 (MODERATE 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.
Quartzsite is a city of 1,877 residents where 28.8% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 42.9% of income on rent. At an average rent of $836/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 Quartzsite eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 2.2/10 — 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 Quartzsite closes 40 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 Quartzsite's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 8.5/10 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 Quartzsite runs $1,592 to $4,235 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 40 days of typical timeline and $836/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 8.0/10 in Quartzsite, and the city sits at the top of the rent control risk spectrum (8.3/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5–3x 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 Arizona, deposit cap and refund window are statute — exceed 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 Quartzsite: 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 MODERATE tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one — 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 Arizona's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $4,235 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Quartzsite
Trap · PRACTICAL TRAP
Cost-versus-timeline trade-off: at 40 days and roughly $4,235 on the high end, cash-for-keys at $1,694 to $2,541 typically beats the legal route for non-aggravated cases. Default judgment frequency is high under ARLTA ARS 33.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
Can I evict a tenant for being late with rent in Quartzsite?
Yes, absolutely. In Arizona, rent is typically due on the first of the month. If it's not paid, you can issue a 5-day pay-or-quit notice. If they don't pay or move out within those five days, you can proceed with filing an eviction lawsuit.
Q2
How much notice do I need to give if I want a tenant to move out for no specific reason?
For a month-to-month tenancy, you generally need to provide a 30-day written notice to terminate the tenancy without cause in Arizona. Ensure the notice is properly served and specifies the move-out date.
Q3
What if my tenant claims they can't pay due to a job loss?
While unfortunate, a job loss does not excuse a tenant from their lease obligations in Arizona. You must still follow the proper eviction process, starting with the 5-day pay-or-quit notice. You can choose to be flexible, but it's not legally required. Consider offering a cash-for-keys deal in these situations as a way to minimize your losses.
Q4
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Quartzsite?
You are not legally required to have a lawyer for a standard eviction in Arizona Justice Court. However, if the tenant hires a lawyer, or if the case becomes complicated with counterclaims or disputes, having your own attorney is highly recommended. It can save you significant time and money in the long run by ensuring all procedures are followed correctly.
Q5
Can I keep the security deposit if the tenant moves out early?
If a tenant breaks their lease and moves out early, you can generally withhold from the security deposit for actual damages you incur, such as unpaid rent, re-rental costs, and physical damage beyond normal wear and tear. You must still provide an itemized statement within 14 business days. You also have a duty to mitigate damages by attempting to re-rent the property reasonably quickly.
Q6
Are there any tenant protections I should be aware of in Quartzsite?
Arizona law, A.R.S. § 33-1301 et seq., outlines tenant protections. These include the right to a safe and habitable living environment, proper notice for entry, and the right to not be discriminated against. While there's no statewide rent control or source-of-income protection, you must still adhere to all state and federal fair housing laws. Check our Arizona tenant protections guide for more details.
A 5.2/10 places Quartzsite in the 89th percentile of Arizona cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1–10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has risen sharply 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 Quartzsite (5.2/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
