Phillips County, Colorado Eviction Risk: Low

Phillips County sits in the far northeast corner of Colorado, a compact agricultural county of 3,485 residents where the rental market runs lean and legal friction stays low. The county earns a Low eviction risk score of 3.7/10, placing it 61st out of 64 Colorado eviction laws counties - meaning only 3 counties statewide are more landlord-friendly. For owners operating rental property here, that standing reflects a regulatory environment governed by C.R.S. § 38-12 (Tenants and Landlords) that, while updated in recent years, still leaves most day-to-day landlord decisions comparatively unburdened.

Holyoke, the county seat and by far the largest community at 2,382 residents, anchors the rental market with a score of 3.6/10 - slightly below the county average, making it the most landlord-favorable of the four tracked cities. Haxtun and Paoli both score 3.9/10, the highest readings in the county, while Amherst logs the county low at 3.4/10. The tight 0.5-point spread across all four cities signals a uniform risk environment rather than pockets of elevated exposure. Average rent across the county runs $931 per month, with a rent burden of 28.7% - below the commonly cited 30% affordability threshold - and a renter share of 33.4% of households. Those figures suggest a rental population that is mostly stable, not distressed, which correlates with lower eviction pressure. Still, 19.1% poverty rate is a figure landlords should keep in mind when underwriting new leases; economic fragility among tenants can precede nonpayment situations even in otherwise low-risk jurisdictions.

Colorado law has shifted meaningfully for landlords in recent sessions. HB24-1098, now codified at C.R.S. 13-40-104, extended no-fault termination notice to 90 days for owner move-in or renovation situations and introduced a just-cause requirement statewide - a provision Phillips County landlords must follow regardless of local size or remoteness. For nonpayment, landlords can issue a 10-day notice under C.R.S. 13-40-104(1)(d), and a substantial-violation notice can be as short as 3 days under C.R.S. 13-40-107.5. If the matter reaches court, filing fees run $105 to $200 and an uncontested case typically closes in 21 to 45 days. Attorney fees in eviction matters range from $750 to $3,500 depending on complexity. Colorado also requires a 48-hour entry notice and prohibits retaliation under C.R.S. § 38-12-509 - rules that apply in Phillips County the same as anywhere else in the state.

Phillips County's 3.7/10 score reflects a small, stable rental market with below-average rent burden, a thin regulatory footprint compared to Colorado eviction laws's urban counties, and consistent readings across all four of its tracked cities.