In court-decided eviction outcomes for Haviland, KS, tenants prevail in roughly 11.8% 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
35d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Haviland, KS until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 35 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.2–4.0k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Haviland, KS costs landlords $1,215 to $4,022 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$683
19% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Haviland, KS is $683 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 19% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
19.4%
of households
19.4% of occupied housing units in Haviland, KS 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
7.1%
6.0% unemp.
7.1% of Haviland, KS residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 6.0%. 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 +71.4% (2024)
2.3
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
2.3
State political climate
Kansas legislature & governorship
2.0
Economic stress
7.1% poverty · 6.0% unemp.
5.7
Supply constraint
$683 average · 19.4% renters
4.0
Rent Control risk
18.8% of income on rent
1.7
Eviction process difficulty
35 days filing → judgment
2.2
Tenant organizing strength
19.4% renters
4.7
Housing court bias
County bench composition
2.9
Geographic context
Risk heat across Haviland and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Haviland compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Kiowa County
Moderate
#2of 3 cities
#2 of 3 cities in Kiowa County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Kansas
Elevated
#271of 740 cities
#271 of 740 cities in Kansas for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.2
/ 10 · VERY LOW
The verdict
A Very low-tier market.
Composite 2.2/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+0.5 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
35d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $683/mo. A contested eviction takes 35 days and costs $1,215–$4,022 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
19.4%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 603 residents, 19.4% rent. 19% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 7.1% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
2.3
Local + regional
The politics
Light-statute interior market.
Local & regional political climate score 2.3 and 2.3 (GOP margin +71.4% (2024)). State climate at 2, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
2
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 2/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 2.2, housing court bias 2.9, rent-control risk 1.7. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-2.8 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
5.7
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 5.7. Supply constraint: 4. The numbers behind those: 7.1% poverty, 6.0% unemployment, 19% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Haviland sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Haviland · 35d · ~$2.6k all-in ($75/day) · score 2.2National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Haviland, Kansas, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.2/10 (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.
Haviland is a city of 603 residents where 19.4% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 18.8% of income on rent. At an average rent of $683/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 Haviland eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 2.2/10, 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 Haviland closes 35 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 Haviland's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 2.9/10 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 Haviland runs $1,215 to $4,022 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 35 days of typical timeline and $683/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 4.7/10 in Haviland, and the city has limited rent control exposure (1.7/10). 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 Kansas, 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 Haviland: 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 Kansas's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $4,022 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Haviland
Trap · PRACTICAL TRAP
Compare Haviland to neighboring cities in Kiowa County via the grid below. The 2.9/10 score is computed from nine sub-factors plus a state-law multiplier under K.S.A. 58-2540. Kiowa County 2020 presidential margin: R+70.6. Cross-reference the state overview link in the guides section for Kansas statutory detail.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my Haviland tenant pays after I've filed for eviction?
If your tenant pays all past due rent and any associated late fees after you've filed but before the court hearing, you may need to dismiss the eviction case. Accepting partial payment can complicate things; generally, if you accept full payment, the eviction action is cured. Consult with an attorney to ensure you don't accidentally waive your rights or create new problems.
Q2
Can I evict a tenant in Haviland for violating lease terms other than non-payment?
Yes. Kansas law allows you to evict for other material lease violations, such as unauthorized pets, excessive noise, or property damage. For these, you typically need to provide a "notice to cure or quit." This notice gives the tenant a specific amount of time (often 10-14 days, as per your lease or state law if not specified) to fix the violation. If they don't, you can proceed with an eviction filing.
Q3
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Haviland?
While you can represent yourself in Kansas district court, it's highly recommended to at least consult with an attorney, especially for your first eviction or if the tenant contests the case. Landlord-tenant law has specific procedures and deadlines. A lawyer can ensure proper notice, accurate filings, and effective representation, minimizing delays and potential costly errors.
Q4
What are Haviland's rules on late fees for rent?
Kansas law allows landlords to charge reasonable late fees for overdue rent, provided these fees are clearly stated in the lease agreement. There isn't a specific statewide cap on the amount, but courts will generally deem excessive fees unenforceable. A common standard is 5% of the monthly rent. Make sure your lease specifies the exact amount and when it applies.
Q5
Is there rent control in Haviland, Kansas?
No, there is no rent control in Haviland or anywhere else in Kansas. Kansas has a statewide prohibition on rent control, meaning landlords are free to set rent prices and increase them as market conditions allow, provided proper notice is given for increases (typically 30 days for month-to-month tenancies). For more information, see our Kansas rent control rules page.
A 2.2/10 places Haviland in the 68th percentile of Kansas 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 Haviland (2.2/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
