Trego County, Kansas Eviction Risk: Very Low

Trego County sits in the high plains of western Kansas with a total population of 1,929 and an eviction risk score of 2/10 (Low). That places it 79th out of 105 Kansas counties ranked by risk, meaning only 26 counties statewide present a less challenging environment for landlords. The county's rental market is modest in scale: renters make up just 19.1% of households, average monthly rent runs $756, and the average rent burden sits at 30.4% of household income. The poverty rate of 7.1% is low by Kansas standards, further limiting the frequency of financial-hardship-driven eviction filings.

WaKeeney is by far the largest community in the county, home to 1,852 of the county's 1,929 residents and carrying a risk score of 2/10. Collyer is the county's highest-risk city at 2.2/10, though even that figure remains firmly in Low territory. Ogallah rounds out the three tracked cities, also at 2/10. The narrow score range - from 2 to 2.2 across all three cities - reflects a uniformly low-pressure rental environment throughout the county. There are no pockets of concentrated tenant distress that would push the county score meaningfully higher.

Kansas landlord-tenant law is governed by K.S.A. § 58-2540 et seq. (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act), which sets a clear, predictable framework statewide. Non-payment of rent triggers a 3-day notice requirement; lease violations require a 14-day cure notice; and no-cause terminations at end of term require 30 days. Kansas preempts local rent control entirely, so no Trego County municipality can impose rent caps or additional just-cause requirements beyond the state baseline. Court filing fees run $120 to $200, sheriff lockout fees range from $40 to $150, and attorney fees for a straightforward eviction typically fall between $500 and $2,500. An uncontested eviction resolves in roughly 21 to 45 days; a contested case extends to 45 to 100 days. The Kansas Human Rights Commission handles fair housing complaints; source-of-income protection is not mandated at the state level, giving landlords full discretion over rental assistance and voucher acceptance.

Trego County's low eviction risk reflects its small, stable rental market, minimal regulatory overhead under state law, and a poverty rate well below the Kansas eviction laws average - conditions that combine to keep landlord-tenant disputes uncommon.