In court-decided eviction outcomes for Kingfield, ME, tenants prevail in roughly 33.2% 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
78d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Kingfield, ME until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 78 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$2.7–8.4k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Kingfield, ME costs landlords $2,729 to $8,393 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$442
30% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Kingfield, ME is $442 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 30% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
8.7%
of households
8.7% of occupied housing units in Kingfield, ME 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
22.3%
4.0% unemp.
22.3% of Kingfield, ME residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 4.0%. 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 +8.2% (2024)
5.3
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
5.3
State political climate
Maine legislature & governorship
4.0
Economic stress
22.3% poverty · 4.0% unemp.
7.0
Supply constraint
$442 average · 8.7% renters
2.3
Rent Control risk
29.5% of income on rent
5.6
Eviction process difficulty
78 days filing → judgment
4.0
Tenant organizing strength
8.7% renters
2.7
Housing court bias
County bench composition
7.0
Geographic context
Risk heat across Kingfield and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Kingfield compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Franklin County
Moderate
#3of 5 cities
#3 of 5 cities in Franklin County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Maine
Elevated
#59of 155 cities
#59 of 155 cities in Maine for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
4.6
/ 10 · MODERATE
The verdict
A Moderate-tier market.
Composite 4.6/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+1.7 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
78d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $442/mo. A contested eviction takes 78 days and costs $2,729–$8,393 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
8.7%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 586 residents, 8.7% rent. 30% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 22.3% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
5.3
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 5.3 and 5.3 (GOP margin +8.2% (2024)). State climate at 4, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
4
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 4/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 4, housing court bias 7, rent-control risk 5.6. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-1.0 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: 2.3. The numbers behind those: 22.3% poverty, 4.0% unemployment, 30% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Kingfield sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Kingfield · 78d · ~$5.6k all-in ($71/day) · score 4.6National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Kingfield, Maine, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 4.6/10 (MODERATE 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.
Kingfield is a city of 586 residents where 8.7% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 29.5% of income on rent. At an average rent of $442/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 Kingfield eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 4/10, 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 Kingfield closes 78 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 Kingfield's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 7/10 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 Kingfield runs $2,729 to $8,393 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 78 days of typical timeline and $442/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 2.7/10 in Kingfield, and the city has limited rent control exposure (5.6/10). 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 Maine, 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 Kingfield: 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 MODERATE 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 Maine's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $8,393 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Kingfield
Trap · PRACTICAL TRAP
Compare Kingfield to neighboring cities in Franklin County via the grid below. The 4.1/10 score is computed from nine sub-factors plus a state-law multiplier under 14 M.R.S. 6001 + Portland Q.E. Franklin County 2020 presidential margin: R+3.9. Cross-reference the state overview link in the guides section for Maine statutory detail.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my tenant pays part of the rent after I give them the 7-day notice?
Accepting a partial payment after issuing a 7-day pay-or-quit notice can be tricky. In Maine, if you accept a partial payment, it generally "waives" your right to proceed with that specific eviction notice. You would then need to issue a *new* 7-day notice for the remaining balance. It's often better to refuse partial payments and insist on the full amount, or clearly state in writing that accepting partial payment does not waive your right to proceed with the eviction.
Q2
Can I charge late fees in Kingfield?
Yes, you can charge late fees in Kingfield, but they must be reasonable and clearly stated in your lease agreement. Maine law doesn't set a specific cap on late fees, but courts expect them to be proportional to the actual costs incurred by late payment. Don't try to make a profit off late fees; they should cover your administrative costs, not punish the tenant excessively.
Q3
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Kingfield?
While you are legally allowed to represent yourself in Maine District Court, it is highly recommended to hire an attorney for an eviction. The legal process is complex, and given the 7/10 housing-court-bias, a small error can result in significant delays and costs. An attorney understands the local rules and can navigate the process efficiently, saving you time and money in the long run.
Q4
What if my tenant has a service animal?
Maine, like all states, follows federal fair housing laws regarding service animals and emotional support animals. You generally cannot deny a tenant with a service or emotional support animal, even if you have a "no pets" policy. You also cannot charge a pet deposit or pet rent for these animals. You can, however, ask for documentation if the disability or the need for the animal is not readily apparent.
Q5
Is rent control a risk in Kingfield?
The rent-control-risk sub-score for Kingfield is 5.6/10, which is moderate. Currently, there is no statewide rent control in Maine. However, local municipalities could enact their own rent control ordinances. While Kingfield is a small town, it's always wise to stay informed about local politics. Keep an eye on any local proposals, but for now, you have flexibility in setting rents. For more information, see our Maine rent control rules.
A 4.6/10 places Kingfield in the 68th percentile of Maine 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 Kingfield (4.6/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
