Pottawatomie County, Kansas Eviction Risk: Very Low

Pottawatomie County, Kansas sits in the lower-risk third of the state, scoring 2/10 on the Eviction Risk Map scale and landing at rank 75 of 105 Kansas eviction laws counties - meaning 74 counties carry higher eviction risk for landlords than Pottawatomie does. With a total population near 10,086 and a renter share of 29.3%, the county's rental market is relatively small but financially accessible: average rent comes in at $920 per month and the average rent burden sits at 22.5% of renter income, well below the 30% threshold that signals housing stress. Average poverty stands at 7.4%, another indicator of a comparatively stable local economy.

Across the county's 9 tracked communities, risk scores range from 1.8/10 in Wheaton to 2.2/10 in St. George, Westmoreland, and Belvue. The county seat area of Wamego, the largest city with a population of 4,386, scores a favorable 1.9/10. St. Marys (population 2,788) and Onaga (population 727) each score 2.1/10. Even at the upper end, a 2.2/10 in St. George or Westmoreland still represents a low-risk environment for landlords relative to most Kansas markets. The tight score spread - just 0.4 points from floor to ceiling across all nine communities - reflects a consistent landlord-leaning legal environment throughout the county.

Kansas law governs the eviction process statewide under K.S.A. § 58-2540 et seq. (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). Landlords must serve a 3-day notice for nonpayment of rent, a 14-day notice for lease violations with opportunity to cure, and a 30-day notice for end-of-term or no-cause terminations. Once a case reaches the courthouse, court filing fees run $120 to $200 and sheriff lockout fees add $40 to $150. An uncontested eviction typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; contested cases can stretch to 45 to 100 days. Kansas does not require just cause for eviction and has a statewide preemption law that bars cities and counties from enacting rent control - a significant structural advantage for landlords throughout Pottawatomie County. There is no local source-of-income protection under Kansas law. Tenant habitability rights are codified at K.S.A. § 58-2553 and retaliation protections at K.S.A. § 58-2572; landlords who understand these statutes upfront rarely face successful tenant defenses.

Pottawatomie County's Low risk score reflects Kansas eviction laws's landlord-friendly statutory framework, modest average rent of $920/month, a below-average rent burden of 22.5%, and low poverty at 7.4% - all factors that reduce the frequency and duration of contested evictions.