Lincoln County, Idaho Eviction Risk: Very Low

Lincoln County sits in south-central Idaho with a total population of 2,918 and just three incorporated places - Shoshone, Richfield, and Dietrich. The county's overall eviction risk score of 2.3/10 places it in the Low risk category, though its rank of 7th out of 44 Idaho counties means it sits in the higher-risk third of the state. Six Idaho counties carry more tenant-protective conditions than Lincoln County, while 37 are more landlord-friendly. For a county this small, that positioning reflects a modest but real concentration of housing-cost pressure in Shoshone, the county seat and by far the largest community at 1,911 residents.

Rental costs across the county average $968 per month, and renters spend an average of 29.1% of their income on housing - a burden rate that sits close to the traditional 30% threshold that housing economists use to flag cost stress. Only 21.5% of Lincoln County households rent rather than own, which keeps raw eviction filing volumes low compared to higher-density Idaho markets. Still, 11.4% of residents live below the poverty line, a figure that increases the financial fragility of those who do rent. Richfield posts the county's highest individual score at 2.7/10, Shoshone matches the county average at 2.3/10, and Dietrich is the lowest at 1.7/10 - a narrow spread of one full point across all three cities. Landlords operating anywhere in the county face the same statewide legal framework regardless of which community the property sits in.

Idaho's eviction statute, Idaho Code SS 6-301 et seq. (Forcible Entry and Detainer), governs all residential removals in Lincoln County. Nonpayment of rent and lease violations each require a 3-day notice before a landlord can file in court. No-cause terminations at end of term require a 30-day notice. Idaho does not require just cause for eviction and the state preempts any local attempt to impose rent control, so Lincoln County cities have no authority to add tenant protections beyond what state law provides. Court filing fees run $160 to $260, sheriff lockout fees run $30 to $120, and attorney costs typically fall between $500 and $2,500 depending on case complexity. An uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; contested matters take 45 to 120 days. Those timelines and cost ranges are consistent with broader Idaho practice and were last reviewed May 29, 2026.

Lincoln County's Low risk designation reflects a sparse rental market, a narrow rent burden near the 30% stress threshold, and a statewide legal environment that provides no local rent control or just-cause protections - all factors the Eviction Risk Map model weighs in its composite score.