In court-decided eviction outcomes for Coloma, CA, tenants prevail in roughly 44.1% 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
296d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Coloma, CA until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 296 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$15.6–39.4k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Coloma, CA costs landlords $15,574 to $39,376 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$2,149
27% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Coloma, CA is $2,149 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 27% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
76.8%
of households
76.8% of occupied housing units in Coloma, CA 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
16.5%
22.6% unemp.
16.5% of Coloma, CA residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 22.6%. 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 +12.0% (2024)
5.2
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
5.2
State political climate
California legislature & governorship
6.8
Economic stress
16.5% poverty · 22.6% unemp.
8.5
Supply constraint
$2,149 average · 76.8% renters
9.7
Rent Control risk
26.8% of income on rent
3.0
Eviction process difficulty
296 days filing → judgment
6.4
Tenant organizing strength
76.8% renters
9.8
Housing court bias
County bench composition
5.1
Geographic context
Risk heat across Coloma and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Coloma compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in El Dorado County
Very High
#1of 13 cities
#1 of 13 cities in El Dorado County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in California
Moderate
#729of 1,594 cities
#729 of 1,594 cities in California for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
7.9
/ 10 · HIGH
The verdict
A High-tier market.
Composite 7.9/10. High statutory friction with active tenant counsel, so assume defenses on every filing. The 50-year curve shows a sharp climb.
50-yr trend+5.3 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steepening since 2010 · COVID inflection visible
296d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $2,149/mo. A contested eviction takes 296 days and costs $15,574–$39,376 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
76.8%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 462 residents, 76.8% rent. 27% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 16.5% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
5.2
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 5.2 and 5.2 (GOP margin +12.0% (2024)). State climate at 6.8, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
6.8
State politics
The process
Long calendar, heavy friction.
State political climate 6.8/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 6.4, housing court bias 5.1, rent-control risk 3. The slow part is the calendar, not the motion practice.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +1.4 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
8.5
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the real risk.
Economic stress: 8.5. Supply constraint: 9.7. The numbers behind those: 16.5% poverty, 22.6% unemployment, 27% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Coloma sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Coloma · 296d · ~$27.5k all-in ($93/day) · score 7.9National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Coloma, California, presents a high-friction environment where attorney involvement on every filing is the norm. The Eviction Risk Score is 7.9/10 (HIGH 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 High-friction landlord market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Coloma is a city of 462 residents where 76.8% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 26.8% of income on rent. At an average rent of $2,149/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 Coloma eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 6.4/10, 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 Coloma closes 296 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 Coloma's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 5.1/10 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 Coloma runs $15,574 to $39,376 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 296 days of typical timeline and $2,149/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 9.8/10 in Coloma, 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 California, 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 Coloma: 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 HIGH 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 California's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $39,376 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Coloma
Trap · 3/10
Comparative benchmarking matters in markets like this. Coloma's 5.3/10 is near the California state average. Rent-control-risk sub-score: 3/10. See the nearby cities grid below for direct A-vs-B comparison.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my Coloma tenant just stops communicating?
Lack of communication doesn't change the process. You still need to serve proper notices (like the 3-day pay-or-quit for non-payment) and proceed with an unlawful detainer lawsuit if they don't comply. Do not interpret silence as abandonment; always follow legal procedures to regain possession.
Q2
Can I raise the rent in Coloma?
Yes, but with limits. California has statewide rent control. For properties not exempt, annual rent increases are capped at 5% plus the percentage change in the cost of living (CPI), or 10%, whichever is lower. You also need to provide proper notice, typically 30 or 60 days depending on the increase amount. Check Placer County eviction guide for local specifics.
Q3
What if my tenant claims the property is uninhabitable?
Tenants have a right to habitable living conditions. If they claim issues, respond promptly and professionally. Document all communications and repairs. Failure to maintain the property can be a defense against eviction for non-payment and can lead to serious legal trouble. Address legitimate repair requests immediately.
Q4
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Coloma?
Absolutely. Given the 296-day timeline, high costs, and complex California laws, attempting an eviction without an experienced attorney is extremely risky. A lawyer will ensure all notices are correct, filings are timely, and you navigate the court system without procedural errors that could cause significant delays or even dismissal of your case.
Q5
What's the best way to avoid eviction in Coloma?
Rigorous tenant screening is your number one tool. Beyond that, maintain good communication with your tenants, address repair requests promptly, and be clear about lease terms. If issues arise, try to resolve them through negotiation before resorting to formal eviction proceedings. Cash for keys can also be a proactive way to avoid a drawn-out court battle.
A 7.9/10 places Coloma in the 56th percentile of California 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 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 Coloma (7.9/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
