Ellsworth County, Kansas Eviction Risk: Very Low

Ellsworth County sits in the lower-risk third of Kansas eviction laws, earning a composite eviction risk score of 2/10 (Low) across its 5 tracked cities and a total population of 5,007. With 69 Kansas eviction laws counties scoring higher, landlords operating here face a comparatively straightforward legal environment, though the Kansas eviction laws Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (K.S.A. § 58-2540 et seq.) still sets firm procedural requirements that apply county-wide regardless of local conditions.

The county seat of Ellsworth (population 3,108) anchors the market with a risk score of 2/10. The two cities with elevated scores are Lorraine (2.5/10) and Kanopolis (2.2/10) - both smaller communities where limited rental inventory can concentrate stress when a household falls behind. Average rent across the county runs $711 per month, and the average rent burden sits at 29.7% of income, a level that leaves little margin before non-payment becomes a real possibility. Renter households account for 22.9% of residents, and the county's average poverty rate is 8.7% - a figure that is modest by statewide comparison but still signals a meaningful share of tenants operating close to the edge financially.

When an eviction does become necessary in Ellsworth County, landlords must follow Kansas eviction laws notice requirements before filing: 3 days for non-payment of rent, 14 days to cure a lease violation, and 30 days for end-of-term or no-cause terminations. Court filing fees range from $120 to $200, sheriff lockout fees add another $40 to $150, and legal representation typically costs $500 to $2,500 for the full matter. An uncontested case resolves in roughly 21 to 45 days while a contested matter can stretch to 45 to 100 days. Kansas eviction laws does not require just cause for eviction, does not cap rents, and state law preempts any local jurisdiction from enacting its own rent control ordinance - factors that collectively keep the regulatory burden low in Ellsworth County relative to high-cost metros.

Scores reflect the Eviction Risk Map composite model applied to Ellsworth County's rental market conditions as of the most recent data refresh; city-level detail is available for each of the 5 tracked cities within the county.