Franklin County, Kansas Eviction Risk: Very Low

Franklin County, Kansas eviction laws carries a county-average eviction-risk score of 2/10, placing it in the Low risk tier across its 9 incorporated cities. At rank 36 of 105 Kansas counties, it sits in the middle third of the state: 35 counties are riskier for landlords and 69 are more landlord-friendly, so the county is neither a standout refuge nor a danger zone. With an average rent of $1,049 and a rent-burden rate of 25.9%, tenants here are not severely cost-stressed, which tends to keep eviction pressure contained.

Scores within the county span from 1.9/10 to 2.8/10, a range that matters operationally. Investors who treat Franklin County as a single uniform market will misread it. A property in the lowest-scoring city carries meaningfully different risk dynamics than one in the highest-scoring city, even though both fall within the broader Low label.

The cities inside Franklin County

Ottawa anchors the county with a population of 12,678 and a relatively contained score of 2.1/10. As the largest city by far, Ottawa sets the tone for county-level averages, and its score suggests a manageable operating environment for landlords holding residential units there.

At the other end of the spectrum, Lane posts the county's highest score at 2.8/10, followed by Wellsville (2.1/10, population 2,216) and Princeton (1.8/10). Lane scores 2.8/10 and Pomona scores 2.2/10. Even at these elevated readings, none of these communities crosses into a moderate or high-risk tier, but the gap relative to Rantoul (1.8/10) and Richmond (2/10) illustrates why city-level data, not county averages, should drive acquisition and underwriting decisions. Risk is hyper-local even inside a low-risk county.

State-level laws that apply here

Kansas landlords operating in Franklin County work under K.S.A. § 58-2540 et seq. (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). For non-payment of rent, the required notice period is 3 days; lease violations with an opportunity to cure require 14 days; end-of-term, no-cause terminations require 30 days. Understanding the Kansas eviction process from notice through lockout is essential before assuming any unit will turn quickly. An uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; a contested matter can run 45 to 100 days. Court filing fees range from $120 to $200, sheriff lockout fees from $40 to $150, and attorney fees from $500 to $2,500, so total Kansas eviction costs for a single case can land well above $600 once all components are added.

Kansas imposes no rent control and does not require just cause for non-renewal, and state law preempts any local jurisdiction from establishing rent caps. Source of income is not a protected class under Kansas state law. Landlords should confirm local ordinances independently, but the statutory framework is broadly owner-friendly on these points. For a detailed breakdown of deposit and notice rules, the Kansas security deposit limits and Kansas tenant protections guides provide current statewide summaries.

With a poverty rate of 10.6% and a renter share of 35.9% across the county, Franklin County's rental population is modestly sized and relatively stable; the city grid above breaks down individual scores so landlords can identify where within the county that stability is strongest.