Stevens County, Kansas Eviction Risk: Very Low

Stevens County sits in the southwest corner of Kansas with a total population of 4,154 and carries a Low eviction risk score of 2.3/10 on the Eviction Risk Map. That places it 27th of 105 Kansas counties, meaning 26 counties in the state run higher risk and 78 run lower - putting Stevens County in the higher-risk third of Kansas, even if the absolute score remains well within the Low band. Landlords operating here work under a framework that is straightforward by most regional standards, but certain cost and timing realities deserve close attention before signing leases or filing actions.

The county's two tracked cities tell a tight story. Hugoton, the county seat, accounts for nearly all of the population at 3,974 residents and scores 2.3/10. Moscow, a smaller community of 180 residents, scores 1.9/10 - the lowest reading in the county. Average rent across Stevens County runs $924/month, and the average rent burden lands at 24.6% of household income. With 27.4% of residents renting and a poverty rate of 15.7%, the renter pool carries moderate financial stress, which shows up in the non-payment notices that drive most local eviction filings.

Kansas governs residential tenancies under K.S.A. § 58-2540 et seq. (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). Non-payment of rent triggers a 3-day notice, lease violations allow a 14-day cure period, and no-cause end-of-term terminations require 30 days notice. Court filing fees run $120 to $200 and sheriff lockout fees add $40 to $150 on top. Uncontested cases typically close in 21 to 45 days; contested matters stretch to 45 to 100 days. Attorney fees, if retained, typically run $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity. Kansas carries no rent cap formula and no just-cause eviction requirement statewide - and the state preempts local rent control ordinances, so no municipality in Stevens County can layer additional restrictions on top of state law. Source of income is not a protected class under Kansas law, giving landlords flexibility on screening criteria that some other states restrict. The retaliation prohibition under K.S.A. § 58-2572 and the habitability standard under K.S.A. § 58-2553 remain the two statutory duties landlords must meet to preserve their right to enforce leases and seek possession.

Stevens County's Low risk reading reflects a combination of modest rent levels, a landlord-favorable state statute, and a small urban footprint concentrated in Hugoton - factors that keep systemic eviction pressure lower than in Kansas eviction laws's more populated urban corridors.