In court-decided eviction outcomes for Le Grand, IA, tenants prevail in roughly 23.6% 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
40d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Le Grand, IA until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 40 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.4–4.3k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Le Grand, IA costs landlords $1,364 to $4,318 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$533
30% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Le Grand, IA is $533 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 30% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
7.1%
of households
7.1% of occupied housing units in Le Grand, 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
11.9%
1.9% unemp.
11.9% of Le Grand, IA residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 1.9%. 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
GOP margin +15.6% (2024)
5.2
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
5.2
State political climate
Iowa legislature & governorship
2.3
Economic stress
11.9% poverty · 1.9% unemp.
4.9
Supply constraint
$533 average · 7.1% renters
3.0
Rent Control risk
30.0% of income on rent
1.5
Eviction process difficulty
40 days filing → judgment
1.9
Tenant organizing strength
7.1% renters
3.0
Housing court bias
County bench composition
3.7
Geographic context
Risk heat across Le Grand and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Le Grand compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Marshall County
Low
#11of 15 cities
#11 of 15 cities in Marshall County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Iowa
Moderate
#604of 1,026 cities
#604 of 1,026 cities in Iowa for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.4
/ 10 · VERY LOW
The verdict
A Very low-tier market.
Composite 2.4/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+0.3 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
40d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $533/mo. A contested eviction takes 40 days and costs $1,364–$4,318 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
7.1%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 720 residents, 7.1% rent. 30% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 11.9% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
5.2
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 5.2 and 5.2 (GOP margin +15.6% (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 1.9, housing court bias 3.7, rent-control risk 1.5. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.1 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
4.9
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 4.9. Supply constraint: 3. The numbers behind those: 11.9% poverty, 1.9% unemployment, 30% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Le Grand sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Le Grand · 40d · ~$2.8k all-in ($71/day) · score 2.4National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Le Grand, Iowa, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.4/10 (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.
Le Grand is a city of 720 residents where 7.1% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 30.0% of income on rent. At an average rent of $533/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 Le Grand eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 1.9/10, 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 Le Grand closes 40 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 Le Grand's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 3.7/10 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 Le Grand runs $1,364 to $4,318 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 40 days of typical timeline and $533/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 3/10 in Le Grand, and the city has limited rent control exposure (1.5/10). 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 Le Grand: 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 $4,318 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Le Grand
Trap · PRACTICAL TRAP
Compare Le Grand to neighboring cities in Marshall County via the grid below. The 4/10 score is computed from nine sub-factors plus a state-law multiplier under Iowa Code 562A URLTA. Marshall County 2020 presidential margin: R+7.7. Cross-reference the state overview link in the guides section for Iowa statutory detail.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my Le Grand tenant claims they can't pay due to a job loss?
While unfortunate, a job loss does not legally excuse a tenant from their rent obligations under Iowa Code § 562A. You still have the right to proceed with a 3-day pay-or-quit notice. You can choose to be flexible, offering a payment plan, but understand that doing so is at your discretion and can delay your ability to evict if the plan fails.
Q2
Can I just change the locks if my Le Grand tenant stops paying rent?
Absolutely not. This is an illegal "self-help" eviction in Iowa and can lead to significant legal trouble for you, including fines and damages owed to the tenant. You must follow the formal eviction process through the courts, even if the tenant is clearly in breach of the lease.
Q3
How long does it typically take to get a new tenant after an eviction in Le Grand?
After an eviction, you'll need time for cleaning, repairs, and marketing. Assuming a smooth process, you could be looking at 2-4 weeks to get a new tenant in. This is why minimizing the eviction timeline and considering "cash for keys" can be so beneficial for your bottom line.
Q4
Is there a specific form I need for the 3-day notice in Iowa?
Yes, while there isn't one single "official" state form, many legal aid websites and landlord associations provide compliant templates. Ensure your notice clearly states the amount of rent due, the three-day period, and that failure to pay or quit will result in eviction proceedings. Consult an attorney or a reliable legal resource to ensure your notice is valid.
Q5
What if the tenant leaves personal property behind after an eviction?
Iowa law requires you to store the tenant's personal property for a reasonable period, typically 30 days, and notify the tenant of its location. After that period, if the tenant hasn't claimed it, you can dispose of it. Document everything, including the condition of the items and your attempts to contact the tenant.
A 2.4/10 places Le Grand in the 49th 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 Le Grand (2.4/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
