National ranking · 100 entries
Best Cities for Landlords in 2026.
The 100 US cities where landlords face the lowest eviction risk, weakest tenant protections, and most landlord-leaning environment. Ranked by Eviction Risk Score (1–10, lower is more landlord-friendly).
Top city
Sioux Falls
1.7 · SD
Average Risk
2.1
across 100 entries
Most-represented state
UT
20 of 100 on this list
Average rent · list
$1,602
per month
Ranking · top 100
Ranked by Eviction Risk Score · lowest first
Click a column to sort
| # | City↕ | County↕ | Population↕ | Risk↕ | Rent Burden↕ | Average Rent↕ | Lean↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Sioux Falls SD | Minnehaha County | 201,469 | 1.7 | 26.5% | $1,035 | Rep |
| 002 | Bismarck ND | Burleigh County | 75,556 | 1.7 | 24.3% | $999 | Rep |
| 003 | Trussville AL | Jefferson County | 26,673 | 1.7 | 27.1% | $1,711 | Dem |
| 004 | Fargo ND | Cass County | 131,627 | 1.8 | 26.3% | $946 | IND |
| 005 | Grand Forks ND | Grand Forks County | 59,042 | 1.8 | 27.8% | $980 | Rep |
| 006 | Minot ND | Ward County | 47,791 | 1.8 | 24.3% | $973 | Rep |
| 007 | Daphne AL | Baldwin County | 29,453 | 1.8 | 24.5% | $1,388 | Rep |
| 008 | Williston ND | Williams County | 28,056 | 1.8 | 24.1% | $1,122 | Rep |
| 009 | Broken Arrow OK | Tulsa County | 118,180 | 1.9 | 27.0% | $1,320 | Rep |
| 010 | Edmond OK | Oklahoma County | 96,825 | 1.9 | 31.2% | $1,344 | IND |
| 011 | Franklin TN | Williamson County | 87,133 | 1.9 | 28.7% | $1,923 | Rep |
| 012 | Rapid City SD | Pennington County | 77,946 | 1.9 | 30.1% | $1,109 | Rep |
| 013 | Idaho Falls ID | Bonneville County | 67,725 | 1.9 | 26.9% | $1,075 | Rep |
| 014 | Bentonville AR | Benton County | 58,249 | 1.9 | 20.9% | $1,344 | Rep |
| 015 | Spanish Fork UT | Utah County | 44,946 | 1.9 | 26.6% | $1,489 | Rep |
| 016 | West Fargo ND | Cass County | 40,094 | 1.9 | 26.6% | $1,111 | IND |
| 017 | Prattville AL | Autauga County | 39,482 | 1.9 | 24.8% | $1,313 | Rep |
| 018 | Springville UT | Utah County | 35,849 | 1.9 | 29.1% | $1,572 | Rep |
| 019 | Kaysville UT | Davis County | 33,053 | 1.9 | 22.4% | $1,538 | Rep |
| 020 | Eagle ID | Ada County | 32,855 | 1.9 | 33.5% | $1,765 | IND |
| 021 | Meridian ID | Ada County | 130,138 | 2.0 | 29.8% | $1,805 | IND |
| 022 | Flower Mound TX | Denton County | 78,389 | 2.0 | 28.0% | $2,231 | Rep |
| 023 | Leander TX | Williamson County | 74,067 | 2.0 | 28.4% | $1,939 | IND |
| 024 | Rogers AR | Benton County | 72,981 | 2.0 | 23.7% | $1,270 | Rep |
| 025 | Moore OK | Cleveland County | 63,420 | 2.0 | 27.7% | $1,340 | Rep |
| 026 | Madison AL | Madison County | 60,106 | 2.0 | 26.1% | $1,453 | Rep |
| 027 | Spring Hill TN | Maury County | 55,765 | 2.0 | 25.9% | $1,844 | Rep |
| 028 | Twin Falls ID | Twin Falls County | 54,164 | 2.0 | 31.3% | $1,082 | Rep |
| 029 | Coppell TX | Dallas County | 42,154 | 2.0 | 25.0% | $2,022 | Dem |
| 030 | Milton GA | Fulton County | 41,546 | 2.0 | 23.3% | $2,065 | Dem |
| 031 | The Acreage FL | Palm Beach County | 40,843 | 2.0 | 15.2% | $1,710 | Dem |
| 032 | Owasso OK | Tulsa County | 40,151 | 2.0 | 27.6% | $1,270 | Rep |
| 033 | Pleasant Grove UT | Utah County | 37,852 | 2.0 | 26.3% | $1,689 | Rep |
| 034 | Syracuse UT | Davis County | 35,488 | 2.0 | 33.6% | $2,140 | Rep |
| 035 | Hutto TX | Williamson County | 35,483 | 2.0 | 24.3% | $2,255 | IND |
| 036 | Lewiston ID | Nez Perce County | 34,651 | 2.0 | 28.0% | $1,027 | Rep |
| 037 | Washington UT | Washington County | 32,348 | 2.0 | 31.7% | $1,614 | Rep |
| 038 | Oakleaf Plantation FL | Clay County | 32,070 | 2.0 | 28.6% | $2,058 | Rep |
| 039 | Fleming Island FL | Clay County | 29,766 | 2.0 | 30.7% | $1,935 | Rep |
| 040 | Athens AL | Limestone County | 29,002 | 2.0 | 25.6% | $899 | Rep |
| 041 | Aberdeen SD | Brown County | 28,189 | 2.0 | 27.3% | $762 | Rep |
| 042 | Kuna ID | Ada County | 27,158 | 2.0 | 21.7% | $1,774 | IND |
| 043 | Jenks OK | Tulsa County | 27,102 | 2.0 | 23.0% | $1,602 | Rep |
| 044 | Brandon MS | Rankin County | 25,542 | 2.0 | 25.5% | $1,382 | Rep |
| 045 | Farmington UT | Davis County | 25,389 | 2.0 | 24.6% | $1,769 | Rep |
| 046 | Dickinson ND | Stark County | 25,357 | 2.0 | 26.7% | $957 | Rep |
| 047 | Princeton TX | Collin County | 25,229 | 2.0 | 26.7% | $2,239 | IND |
| 048 | Boise City ID | Ada County | 237,242 | 2.1 | 29.6% | $1,446 | IND |
| 049 | Overland Park KS | Johnson County | 200,306 | 2.1 | 26.9% | $1,515 | Dem |
| 050 | Olathe KS | Johnson County | 145,057 | 2.1 | 27.6% | $1,314 | Dem |
| 051 | Nampa ID | Canyon County | 110,319 | 2.1 | 30.0% | $1,420 | Rep |
| 052 | St. George UT | Washington County | 101,995 | 2.1 | 34.0% | $1,545 | Rep |
| 053 | Sandy UT | Salt Lake County | 94,291 | 2.1 | 28.8% | $1,777 | Dem |
| 054 | O'Fallon MO | St. Charles County | 93,801 | 2.1 | 26.7% | $1,443 | Rep |
| 055 | Layton UT | Davis County | 83,286 | 2.1 | 28.8% | $1,538 | Rep |
| 056 | South Jordan UT | Salt Lake County | 82,686 | 2.1 | 27.9% | $1,991 | Dem |
| 057 | Mansfield TX | Tarrant County | 77,510 | 2.1 | 32.6% | $1,954 | IND |
| 058 | North Richland Hills TX | Tarrant County | 70,780 | 2.1 | 30.2% | $1,704 | IND |
| 059 | Shawnee KS | Johnson County | 68,542 | 2.1 | 25.8% | $1,322 | Dem |
| 060 | Palm Beach Gardens FL | Palm Beach County | 60,959 | 2.1 | 35.6% | $2,417 | Dem |
| 061 | Great Falls MT | Cascade County | 60,329 | 2.1 | 28.2% | $900 | Rep |
| 062 | Kyle TX | Hays County | 56,823 | 2.1 | 34.9% | $1,752 | Dem |
| 063 | Coeur d'Alene ID | Kootenai County | 56,447 | 2.1 | 32.5% | $1,468 | Rep |
| 064 | Kingsport TN | Sullivan County | 56,262 | 2.1 | 29.5% | $907 | Rep |
| 065 | Westfield IN | Hamilton County | 54,677 | 2.1 | 26.9% | $1,667 | Rep |
| 066 | Grapevine TX | Tarrant County | 51,139 | 2.1 | 27.6% | $1,863 | IND |
| 067 | Draper UT | Salt Lake County | 50,278 | 2.1 | 29.2% | $1,894 | Dem |
| 068 | Murray UT | Salt Lake County | 50,188 | 2.1 | 27.9% | $1,500 | Dem |
| 069 | Saratoga Springs UT | Utah County | 48,425 | 2.1 | 27.9% | $2,256 | Rep |
| 070 | Olive Branch MS | DeSoto County | 47,019 | 2.1 | 27.5% | $1,829 | Rep |
| 071 | Keller TX | Tarrant County | 45,976 | 2.1 | 36.0% | $2,144 | IND |
| 072 | Brentwood TN | Williamson County | 45,556 | 2.1 | 31.6% | $2,825 | Rep |
| 073 | Riverton UT | Salt Lake County | 45,457 | 2.1 | 23.6% | $2,137 | Dem |
| 074 | Waxahachie TX | Ellis County | 45,347 | 2.1 | 28.2% | $1,618 | Rep |
| 075 | Lebanon TN | Wilson County | 44,788 | 2.1 | 28.6% | $1,306 | Rep |
| 076 | Post Falls ID | Kootenai County | 43,391 | 2.1 | 30.5% | $1,469 | Rep |
| 077 | Greer SC | Greenville County | 41,536 | 2.1 | 26.1% | $1,198 | Rep |
| 078 | Navarre FL | Santa Rosa County | 39,838 | 2.1 | 26.0% | $1,966 | Rep |
| 079 | Roy UT | Weber County | 38,993 | 2.1 | 29.5% | $1,624 | Rep |
| 080 | Prosper TX | Collin County | 37,869 | 2.1 | 27.7% | $2,176 | IND |
| 081 | American Fork UT | Utah County | 37,109 | 2.1 | 27.5% | $1,697 | Rep |
| 082 | Farmers Branch TX | Dallas County | 36,645 | 2.1 | 27.1% | $1,864 | Dem |
| 083 | Plainfield IN | Hendricks County | 36,369 | 2.1 | 26.1% | $1,499 | Rep |
| 084 | Fruit Cove FL | St. Johns County | 35,877 | 2.1 | 32.7% | $2,336 | Rep |
| 085 | Fulshear TX | Fort Bend County | 34,868 | 2.1 | 22.1% | $1,952 | Dem |
| 086 | Celina TX | Collin County | 34,268 | 2.1 | 36.2% | $2,379 | IND |
| 087 | Alabaster AL | Shelby County | 33,917 | 2.1 | 32.0% | $1,372 | Rep |
| 088 | Leawood KS | Johnson County | 33,809 | 2.1 | 27.4% | $1,983 | Dem |
| 089 | Clearfield UT | Davis County | 33,523 | 2.1 | 31.6% | $1,579 | Rep |
| 090 | Cottonwood Heights UT | Salt Lake County | 32,828 | 2.1 | 24.8% | $1,730 | Dem |
| 091 | Brownsburg IN | Hendricks County | 31,215 | 2.1 | 30.6% | $1,486 | Rep |
| 092 | Southlake TX | Tarrant County | 31,137 | 2.1 | 27.7% | $3,501 | IND |
| 093 | Holladay UT | Salt Lake County | 31,099 | 2.1 | 24.8% | $1,704 | Dem |
| 094 | Crestview FL | Okaloosa County | 28,773 | 2.1 | 32.3% | $1,366 | Rep |
| 095 | Kalispell MT | Flathead County | 28,504 | 2.1 | 31.2% | $1,078 | Rep |
| 096 | Madison MS | Madison County | 27,946 | 2.1 | 31.2% | $1,853 | Rep |
| 097 | Maryland Heights MO | St. Louis County | 27,880 | 2.1 | 21.0% | $1,312 | Dem |
| 098 | Lutz FL | Hillsborough County | 27,106 | 2.1 | 35.9% | $1,823 | Dem |
| 099 | Palm City FL | Martin County | 26,371 | 2.1 | 29.5% | $2,013 | Rep |
| 100 | Pace FL | Santa Rosa County | 26,282 | 2.1 | 28.7% | $1,282 | Rep |
How the ranking is built
The Eviction Risk Score is a 1–10 index combining local, regional, and state political climate (2020 county presidential margin + state legislative posture), economic stress (Census ACS 2023 poverty + unemployment), supply constraint (renter share + median rent), rent-control risk (national percentile of rent burden), eviction process difficulty (state statute), tenant organizing strength (renter share), and housing court bias (state-weighted).
We include only cities with population ≥ 25,000 so the ranking reflects places where the dataset is robust and the practical landlord exposure is material. Every city on this list links to its full page with nine sub-scores, typical eviction cost, typical timeline, and an interactive map of neighboring cities.
Sources
US Census ACS 2023 5-year (poverty, unemployment, rent burden, median gross rent, renter share), 2024 Census Gazetteer (geometry), MIT Election Lab 2020 county presidential returns, state landlord-tenant statute citations, HUD cost-burden thresholds. Nothing on this list is synthesized — where a source has no value for a city, it is excluded from that ranking, not filled in.