Crawford County, Iowa Eviction Risk: Low

Crawford County, Iowa eviction laws earns an average eviction-risk score of 2.6/10 (Low), placing it 58th of 99 Iowa counties, where rank 1 is the highest-risk. That means 57 counties carry more risk for landlords and 41 are more landlord-friendly, putting Crawford County squarely in the middle third of the state. For a county with a total population around 12,125 and an average rent of $726, that positioning reflects genuinely modest landlord exposure, not a statistical accident.

The rent-burden picture reinforces the low-risk read. Renters here spend an average of 22.2% of income on housing, a figure well below the thresholds that typically drive late payments and defaults. With a renter share of 26.8% across the county, the market skews toward owner-occupied housing, which keeps rental supply tight relative to demand and makes quality tenants relatively easier to retain.

The cities inside Crawford County

The county's 12 cities tell different stories depending on where you plant a rental. Charter Oak sits at the top of the risk range with a score of 3.1/10, the only locality in Crawford County that reaches the upper boundary of the county range. Vail follows at 2.8/10. Neither score is alarming on an absolute basis, but they are meaningfully above the county average and warrant a closer look at local vacancy and income trends before committing capital.

Denison, the county seat and by far the largest city with a population of 8,260, scores 2.6/10, matching the county average. Manilla scores 2.3/10 and Dow City comes in at 2.0/10, both sitting well below the county average and representing the lower end of the 1.9 to 3.1 range across Crawford County. The spread underscores a point that matters for portfolio construction: risk in Crawford County is hyper-local, and a single county-average figure can mask meaningful variation at the city level.

State-level laws that apply here

Iowa eviction laws state law governs every tenancy in Crawford County through Iowa eviction laws Code § 562A (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Law). For non-payment of rent, landlords may serve a 3-day notice. A lease violation with an opportunity to cure requires a 7-day notice. Ending a tenancy with no cause at the end of a lease term requires 30 days. Iowa eviction laws does not require just cause for non-renewal, and state law preempts any local attempt at rent control, so Crawford County landlords operate under a single, uniform statewide framework with no local overlay complications. Understanding the Iowa eviction laws eviction process from notice through writ is essential before a tenant dispute escalates.

Cost exposure on an eviction runs from $95 to $200 in court filing fees, plus $50 to $150 for sheriff lockout fees, and attorney fees typically ranging from $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity and whether the case is contested. An uncontested eviction resolves in roughly 21 to 40 days; a contested case can stretch to 45 to 100 days. Reviewing Iowa eviction costs in detail before a dispute arises helps landlords set realistic reserve budgets. Iowa security deposit limits and Iowa tenant protections are set at the state level and apply uniformly county-wide.

Crawford County carries an average poverty rate of 18.8%, a figure worth watching as a leading indicator of rent-payment risk; investors should review the city-by-city grid above to identify which of the 12 localities cluster nearest that threshold before selecting acquisition targets.