Brown County, Kansas Eviction Risk: Low

Brown County sits in the northeastern corner of Kansas with a total population of 6,450 and an eviction risk score of 3.6/10 - placing it in the low tier. That said, landlords should not read Low as No Risk: the county ranks 16th riskiest out of 105 Kansas counties, meaning 89 counties across the state operate in a more favorable environment. Fifteen Kansas counties carry a higher score, and Brown County lands in the upper third statewide by risk - a distinction that matters when evaluating a rental portfolio or entering a new market here.

The county's 16 cities spread from the county seat of Hiawatha (population 3,197, score 3.4/10) down to smaller communities including Horton (pop. 1,610, score 4/10), Fairview (pop. 342, score 3.2/10), and Whiting (pop. 337, score 3.2/10). The highest individual scores belong to Kickapoo Tribal Center at 4.3/10 and Kickapoo Site 5 and Kickapoo Site 1 both at 5.9/10 - these Kickapoo Nation communities sit at the top of the county's risk range. Robinson and Powhattan each score 4/10, while Hiawatha and Horton, the two largest population centers, come in at 4/10. The county-wide range runs from a low of 4/10 to a high of 3.6/10, a relatively tight band that reflects consistent rural market conditions throughout Brown County.

Financially, the average renter here pays $660 per month, and the average rent burden sits at 24.9% of household income - below the conventional 30% stress threshold, though the 16.3% poverty rate means a meaningful share of tenants operate close to that line. Renters make up 28.7% of occupied housing in the county. Under K.S.A. § 58-2540 et seq., Kansas landlords must give only a 3-day notice for non-payment, 14 days for a curable lease violation, and 30 days for a no-cause end-of-term termination. An uncontested eviction typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; a contested case can stretch to 100 days. Court filing fees run $120 to $200, sheriff lockout fees add another $40 to $150, and attorney costs for a straightforward matter commonly range from $500 to $2,500. Kansas preempts local rent control statewide - no city or county in Kansas can impose a rent cap - so there is no rent-regulation risk at the municipal level in Brown County.

Brown County's Low risk score reflects Kansas eviction laws's landlord-favorable statutory framework and a modest local rental market, though a 16.3% poverty rate and a rank of 16th riskiest statewide warrant ongoing attention for landlords with holdings in Hiawatha or Horton.