Kingman County, Kansas Eviction Risk: Very Low

Kingman County, Kansas earns a Low eviction risk score of 2.3/10, placing it 30th out of 105 Kansas counties on our risk index. That ranking puts the county in the higher-risk third of the state, meaning 29 counties carry more tenant-side friction and 75 are friendlier territory for landlords. With a total population of roughly 4,100 across 8 cities and unincorporated areas, this is a sparsely settled south-central Kansas county where the rental market stays relatively affordable and the legal environment leans strongly toward landlord flexibility under K.S.A. § 58-2540 et seq. (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act).

Average rent in Kingman County runs $815 per month, and renters here spend an average of 24% of income on rent - well below the 30% threshold generally associated with housing stress. About 37.8% of occupied housing units are renter-occupied, and the poverty rate sits at 10.5%. The county seat of Kingman is the dominant population center with 2,957 residents and a city-level score of 2.4/10, followed by Norwich (437 residents, 2/10) and Cunningham (414 residents, 1.8/10). Among the riskiest jurisdictions within the county is Penalosa (2.5/10), though its population of 5 means practical exposure is negligible. Nashville, at the opposite end, posts the lowest score in the county at 1.7/10. The spread from 1.7 to 2.5 across all 8 cities is narrow, which reflects consistent low-risk conditions rather than pockets of elevated exposure.

Kansas landlord law is generally favorable to property owners. Non-payment of rent triggers a 3-day notice under the Act; lease violations carry a 14-day cure notice, and no-cause terminations at end of term require 30 days. There is no rent control in Kansas, and the state preempts local rent control ordinances, so no Kingman County municipality can impose rent caps. Just cause for eviction is not required. An uncontested eviction in Kansas typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; contested cases extend to 45 to 100 days. Court filing fees range from $120 to $200, sheriff lockout fees from $40 to $150, and attorney costs from $500 to $2,500 depending on case complexity. The habitability standard is codified at K.S.A. § 58-2553, and retaliation protections appear at K.S.A. § 58-2572. Source-of-income is not a protected class under Kansas law, giving landlords full screening discretion on that dimension. Fair housing complaints in the state are handled by the Kansas Human Rights Commission.

Kingman County's Low risk score reflects a combination of affordable rents, a below-stress rent burden, a landlord-favorable state statute with no rent control, and city-level scores that cluster tightly in the 1.7-2.5 range across all 8 tracked jurisdictions.