In court-decided eviction outcomes for Lone Tree, IA, tenants prevail in roughly 21.4% 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
46d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Lone Tree, IA until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 46 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.4–3.5k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Lone Tree, IA costs landlords $1,435 to $3,537 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$963
24% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Lone Tree, IA is $963 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 24% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
16.1%
of households
16.1% of occupied housing units in Lone Tree, IA 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
6.6%
2.1% unemp.
6.6% of Lone Tree, IA residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 2.1%. 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 +38.1% (2024)
7.4
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
7.4
State political climate
Iowa legislature & governorship
2.3
Economic stress
6.6% poverty · 2.1% unemp.
3.9
Supply constraint
$963 average · 16.1% renters
4.5
Rent Control risk
23.6% of income on rent
8.7
Eviction process difficulty
46 days filing → judgment
2.0
Tenant organizing strength
16.1% renters
3.6
Housing court bias
County bench composition
6.3
Geographic context
Risk heat across Lone Tree and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Lone Tree compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Johnson County
Moderate
#8of 13 cities
#8 of 13 cities in Johnson County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Iowa
Low
#753of 1,026 cities
#753 of 1,026 cities in Iowa for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.3
/ 10 · VERY LOW
The verdict
A Very low-tier market.
Composite 2.3/10. 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
46d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $963/mo. A contested eviction takes 46 days and costs $1,435–$3,537 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
16.1%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 1,218 residents, 16.1% rent. 24% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 6.6% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
7.4
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 7.4 and 7.4 (Dem margin +38.1% (2024)). State climate at 2.3, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
2.3
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 2.3/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 2, housing court bias 6.3, rent-control risk 8.7. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.0 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
3.9
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 3.9. Supply constraint: 4.5. The numbers behind those: 6.6% poverty, 2.1% unemployment, 24% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Lone Tree sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Lone Tree · 46d · ~$2.5k all-in ($54/day) · score 2.3National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Lone Tree, Iowa, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.3/10 (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.
Lone Tree is a city of 1,218 residents where 16.1% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 23.6% of income on rent. At an average rent of $963/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 Lone Tree eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 2/10, 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 Lone Tree closes 46 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 Lone Tree's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 6.3/10 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 Lone Tree runs $1,435 to $3,537 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 46 days of typical timeline and $963/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 3.6/10 in Lone Tree, and the city sits at the top of the rent control risk spectrum (8.7/10). 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 Iowa, 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 Lone Tree: 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 Iowa's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $3,537 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Lone Tree
Trap · 6.6%
Local poverty rate is 6.6%, and the rent-burden distribution skews the eviction-filings curve toward moderate volume in Johnson County. Rent-control-risk sub-score: 8.7/10. Tenant organizing is most active in the rental concentration corridors.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my tenant just disappears?
If your tenant abandons the property in Lone Tree, Iowa law allows you to regain possession under certain conditions, typically after a specified period of non-payment and no communication, or if the unit is clearly empty of personal belongings. However, you must follow the correct legal steps to avoid illegal eviction claims. Document everything: photos, attempts to contact, witness statements. If you're unsure, consult an attorney before changing locks.
Q2
Can I really not accept housing vouchers in Iowa?
Currently, Iowa does not have a statewide law protecting source of income, meaning you are generally not required to accept housing vouchers. However, local ordinances can change this, and fair housing laws still apply to other protected characteristics. Always verify the latest rules for Johnson County and Lone Tree. You cannot discriminate based on race, religion, sex, etc., regardless of source of income.
Q3
How do I handle a tenant who damages the property?
First, document the damage with photos or videos. Send a written notice to the tenant detailing the damage and your expectation for repair or payment. If they don't comply, and it's a significant lease violation, you may need to issue a notice to cure or quit. This is different from a non-payment notice. If the tenant moves out, you can deduct the cost of repairs from their security deposit, but you must provide an itemized list within 30 days.
Q4
Is rent control a real risk in Lone Tree?
While Iowa currently has no statewide rent control, our data shows a high rent-control-risk score of 8.7/10 for Lone Tree. This indicates underlying factors or political sentiment that could lead to local rent control discussions or implementation in the future. Stay informed about local politics and landlord associations. While it's not present now, being aware of the potential protects you down the line. Check our Iowa rent control rules for statewide updates.
Q5
What if my tenant refuses to leave after the eviction order?
After a judge grants an eviction order, the tenant typically has a short period (often 3 days) to move out. If they don't, you must request a writ of possession from the court. This writ authorizes the sheriff to physically remove the tenant and their belongings. You cannot do this yourself. Only the sheriff can enforce the eviction order. This is the final step in the legal process.
Q6
Should I offer a lease or go month-to-month?
For most landlords, a fixed-term lease (e.g., 12 months) provides more stability and predictability. It locks in rent and tenant commitment for a longer period. Month-to-month leases offer flexibility but also mean a tenant can leave with just 30 days' notice, and you have to find a new tenant more frequently. In a smaller market like Lone Tree with a lower renter share, retaining good tenants with a lease is often preferable.
A 2.3/10 places Lone Tree in the 34th percentile of Iowa 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 Lone Tree (2.3/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
