Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from constituent census tracts, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
18.6%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Wakarusa, KS, tenants prevail in roughly 18.6% 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
37d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Wakarusa, KS until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 37 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.3–3.7k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Wakarusa, KS costs landlords $1,279 to $3,653 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,009
28% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Wakarusa, KS is $1,009 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 28% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
17.8%
of households
17.8% of occupied housing units in Wakarusa, 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
7.7%
22.7% unemp.
7.7% of Wakarusa, KS residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 22.7%. 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
Dem margin +0.5% (2024)
5.6
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
5.6
State political climate
Kansas legislature & governorship
2.0
Economic stress
7.7% poverty · 22.7% unemp.
7.0
Supply constraint
$1,009 average · 17.8% renters
3.2
Rent Control risk
27.6% of income on rent
1.0
Eviction process difficulty
37 days filing → judgment
1.9
Tenant organizing strength
17.8% renters
3.2
Housing court bias
County bench composition
1.1
Geographic context
Risk heat across Wakarusa and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Wakarusa compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Shawnee County
Very High
#1of 8 cities
#1 of 8 cities in Shawnee County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Kansas
Very High
#23of 740 cities
#23 of 740 cities in Kansas for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.8
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 2.8/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+0.8 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
37d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $1,009/mo. A contested eviction takes 37 days and costs $1,279–$3,653 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
17.8%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 209 residents, 17.8% rent. 28% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 7.7% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
5.6
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 5.6 and 5.6 (Dem margin +0.5% (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 1.9, housing court bias 1.1, rent-control risk 1. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.1 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
7
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 7. Supply constraint: 3.2. The numbers behind those: 7.7% poverty, 22.7% unemployment, 28% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Wakarusa sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Wakarusa · 37d · ~$2.5k all-in ($67/day) · score 2.8National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Wakarusa, Kansas, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.8/10 (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.
Wakarusa is a city of 209 residents where 17.8% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 27.6% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,009/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 Wakarusa eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 1.9/10, 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 Wakarusa closes 37 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 Wakarusa's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 1.1/10 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 Wakarusa runs $1,279 to $3,653 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 37 days of typical timeline and $1,009/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 3.2/10 in Wakarusa, and the city has limited rent control exposure (1/10). 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 Wakarusa: 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 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 $3,653 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Wakarusa
Trap · KANSAS
Shawnee County court applies Kansas statute uniformly. Filing fee, notice period, and trial-to-writ timeline are set at the state level. At 3.3/10 local risk, default judgment frequency is typical.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my tenant damages the property?
If the damage exceeds normal wear and tear, you can deduct the cost of repairs from their security deposit. Make sure to document all damages with photos or videos before and after they move out. Provide an itemized list of deductions to the tenant within 30 days, as required by Kansas law. If the damages exceed the deposit, you can sue them in small claims court.
Q2
Can I evict a tenant for having unauthorized pets?
Yes, if your lease explicitly prohibits pets or requires prior approval and the tenant violated that term. You'd typically issue a notice to cure or quit, giving them a chance to remove the pet or comply with the lease. If they don't, you can proceed with an eviction filing based on a lease violation.
Q3
Do I need a lawyer for every eviction?
Not always, especially for straightforward non-payment cases where the tenant doesn't contest. However, it's highly recommended for your first eviction or if the tenant hires a lawyer, has a complicated defense, or if there are significant damages. A lawyer ensures you follow all procedures correctly, which saves time and money in the long run. See our Kansas eviction risk overview for more on statewide considerations.
Q4
What if my tenant refuses to leave after the court grants me possession?
After the court issues a judgment for possession, you must obtain a "Writ of Restitution" from the court clerk. This document authorizes the sheriff to physically remove the tenant and their belongings from the property. You cannot do this yourself. The sheriff will schedule a time for the lockout, and you'll typically need to be present.
Q5
Are there rent control laws in Wakarusa?
No, there are no rent control laws in Wakarusa or anywhere else in Kansas. Kansas has a statewide prohibition on rent control. You are generally free to set your rental rates as you see fit, subject to market conditions. More details can be found on our Kansas rent control rules page. Be aware that this could change in the future, so stay informed.
Q6
Can I charge late fees?
Yes, you can charge reasonable late fees if they are clearly stated in your lease agreement. Kansas law doesn't set a specific cap on late fees, but courts expect them to be reasonable and reflect the actual costs incurred by the landlord due to late payment. Avoid excessive fees that could be challenged as punitive.
A 2.8/10 places Wakarusa in the 99th 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 Wakarusa (2.8/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
