Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from county average, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
13.9%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Lost River, ID, tenants prevail in roughly 13.9% 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
26d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Lost River, ID until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 26 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.0–2.4k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Lost River, ID costs landlords $1,005 to $2,413 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,357
26% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Lost River, ID is $1,357 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 26% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
30.6%
of households
30.6% of occupied housing units in Lost River, ID 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
8.4%
4.2% unemp.
8.4% of Lost River, ID residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 4.2%. 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
Dem margin +31.7% (2024)
7.2
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
7.2
State political climate
Idaho legislature & governorship
1.6
Economic stress
8.4% poverty · 4.2% unemp.
1.0
Supply constraint
$1,357 average · 30.6% renters
1.0
Rent Control risk
25.9% of income on rent
1.0
Eviction process difficulty
26 days filing → judgment
1.1
Tenant organizing strength
30.6% renters
1.0
Housing court bias
County bench composition
1.3
Geographic context
Risk heat across Lost River and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Lost River compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Blaine County
Low
#5of 7 cities
#5 of 7 cities in Blaine County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Idaho
Low
#173of 236 cities
#173 of 236 cities in Idaho for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
1.8
/ 10 · VERY LOW
The verdict
A Very low-tier market.
Composite 1.8/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend-0.2 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
26d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $1,357/mo. A contested eviction takes 26 days and costs $1,005–$2,413 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
30.6%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 55 residents, 30.6% rent. 26% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 8.4% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
7.2
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 7.2 and 7.2 (Dem margin +31.7% (2024)). State climate at 1.6, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
1.6
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 1.6/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 1.1, housing court bias 1.3, rent-control risk 1. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.9 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
1
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 1. Supply constraint: 1. The numbers behind those: 8.4% poverty, 4.2% unemployment, 26% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Lost River sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Lost River · 26d · ~$1.7k all-in ($66/day) · score 1.8National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Lost River, Idaho, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 1.8/10 (VERY LOW 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.
Lost River is a city of 55 residents where 30.6% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 25.9% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,357/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 Lost River eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 1.1/10, 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 Lost River closes 26 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 Lost River's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 1.3/10 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 Lost River runs $1,005 to $2,413 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 26 days of typical timeline and $1,357/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 1/10 in Lost River, and the city has limited rent control exposure (1/10). 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 Idaho, 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 Lost River: 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 VERY LOW 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 Idaho's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $2,413 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Lost River
Trap · D+36.8
Lost River reflects the demographic and political composition of Blaine County, with eviction procedure governed at the state level. Blaine County 2020 margin: D+36.8.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my tenant just disappears?
If your tenant abandons the property and leaves belongings, you still need to follow a legal process. In Idaho, you typically need to send a notice of abandonment to their last known address and wait a specified period (usually 30 days) before you can dispose of their property or re-rent the unit. Don't just assume the unit is yours; get legal advice before clearing it out.
Q2
Can I increase rent in Lost River?
Yes, Idaho has no rent control laws. You can increase rent, but you must provide proper notice, typically 30 days for month-to-month tenancies. For fixed-term leases, you can only increase rent at the lease renewal. Always give written notice.
Q3
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Lost River?
While you can technically represent yourself in Idaho courts, it's highly recommended to use an attorney, especially if you're not familiar with court procedures or if the tenant contests the eviction. A lawyer ensures all notices are served correctly, documents are filed properly, and your case is presented effectively, minimizing delays and potential errors. This is particularly true for your first eviction. See our Idaho eviction risk overview for more.
Q4
What are the common tenant protections in Idaho?
Idaho has fewer statewide tenant protections compared to some other states. There is no statewide just-cause eviction, no source-of-income protection, and no rent control. However, federal fair housing laws always apply. Landlords must provide safe and habitable housing. For more details, check our Idaho tenant protections guide.
Q5
How long do I have to return a security deposit?
In Idaho, you must return a tenant's security deposit within 21 days after they move out. This deadline can be extended to 30 days if your lease specifically states it. If you make deductions, you must provide an itemized statement explaining why. Failure to meet this deadline can result in penalties.
A 1.8/10 places Lost River in the 36th percentile of Idaho 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 climbed steadily 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 Lost River (1.8/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
