Mineral County, Colorado Eviction Risk: Moderate

Mineral County sits in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado with a total population of just 342 residents - making it one of the least-populated counties in the state. That small scale does not translate to simple landlord-tenant dynamics. The county scores 4.6/10 Moderate on the Eviction Risk Map scale and ranks 16th out of 64 Colorado counties, placing it in the higher-risk third of the state. Fifteen Colorado counties carry a higher eviction risk score; 48 are more landlord-friendly. For a rural county with only two incorporated places, that standing deserves attention before any landlord files a complaint or drafts a lease.

The two tracked communities pull in opposite directions. City of Creede, the county seat and home to 285 of the county's 342 residents, scores 4.7/10 - the highest risk point in the county. Piedra, with a population of 57, comes in at 3.8/10, the lowest. Average rent across the county sits at $912 a month, and 55.2% of households are renters - an unusually high renter share for a mountain county of this size. When 31% of renters are already spending a rent-burdened share of their income on housing and the average poverty rate reaches 20.5%, the practical ability of tenants to absorb a rent increase or absorb an eviction judgment is limited. That economic reality shapes how disputes play out locally.

Colorado's eviction framework under C.R.S. § 38-12 (Tenants and Landlords) now requires just cause for most terminations - a significant shift from prior law. No-fault terminations for owner move-in or renovation require a 90-day written notice under C.R.S. 13-40-104 as amended by HB24-1098. Nonpayment of rent triggers a 10-day demand notice under C.R.S. 13-40-104(1)(d) before any court filing is possible. A substantial lease violation (such as illegal activity) compresses that window to 3 days under C.R.S. 13-40-107.5. Court filing fees range from $105 to $200, and an uncontested case typically closes in 21 to 45 days; a contested matter can run 60 to 120 days. Attorney fees in Colorado eviction cases typically fall between $750 and $3,500, and sheriff lockout fees add another $50 to $200. Source-of-income is a protected class under Colorado law (Colorado Civil Rights Division), meaning a landlord cannot reject a Section 8 voucher holder on that basis alone. Landlords must also give 48 hours advance notice before entering an occupied unit under C.R.S. § 38-12-503, the habitability statute. Retaliation against a tenant for exercising a legal right is prohibited under C.R.S. § 38-12-509. Colorado does not preempt local rent control, leaving the door open for municipal-level ordinances - though Mineral County's communities have not enacted any.

Eviction Risk Map scores for Mineral County reflect rent burden, poverty rate, renter share, and the legal framework in place as of the last statute review on 2026-05-29. Scores range from 3.8 in Piedra to 4.7 in City of Creede across the county's 2 tracked communities.