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Chatham, MI Eviction Risk Score Alger County · Michigan · Pop. 135

Updated
● Moderate Risk

Chatham, MI sits at 5.2/10 — Moderate risk. 51.0% rent burden, 14.1% renters, ~64-day typical timeline.

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Score vs. benchmarks
Chatham
5.2
Alger County
4.2
Michigan avg
6.0
National avg
5.5
24.4%Tenant-law probabilityi
$2,460–6,787Typical eviction costi
64 daysEst. timelinei
2.83%Filing ratei
$1,010HUD 2BR FMR '25i
$713Median renti
51.0%Rent burdeni
14.1%Rentersi

Location & regional heat

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High risk
Heat = surrounding cities. Click any dot to compare.

Sub-score breakdown

Each component on a 1–10 scale. Ticks mark the 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles nationally.

Local political climatei
4.7
Regional political climatei
4.7
State political climate
3.3
Economic stressi
7.6
Supply constrainti
3.9
Rent-control riski
9.6
Eviction process difficulty
2.9
Tenant organizing strengthi
5.5
Housing court bias
8.5
Eviction filing rate (ground truth)i
4.6
Voucher gap (market vs HUD FMR)i
0.0
Own rentals in or near Chatham?
Free consultation — local rent-control exposure, notice requirements, and eviction defense risk.

About eviction risk in Chatham, MI

Chatham, MI has an eviction risk score of 5.2 out of 10, placing it in the moderate-risk tier for landlords operating in Alger County and the state of Michigan. The score combines local political climate, court disposition patterns, cost-of-eviction estimates, tenant organizing strength, and the likelihood of new tenant-protective legislation in the next legislative cycle.

Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates show median gross rent as a percentage of household income is 51.0% — a core driver of eviction filings, because households above 30% of income on rent are statistically more likely to miss a payment after any income shock. Median gross rent in Chatham is $713/month. About 14.1% of occupied units here are renter-occupied.

Economic stress: poverty rate 18.0%, unemployment 6.7%. Higher values correlate with higher eviction filing rates and longer court timelines.

Political climate: In 2020, Alger County voted Republican by 18.7 points — classified as moderately landlord-leaning for purposes of rent-control or just-cause expansion risk.

What this score means for landlords

At 5.2/10, Chatham is an elevated-risk environment. Tenant protections are stronger than the national median. Use proactive screening, document notices in writing, and understand your specific just-cause and rent-cap exposure before raising rent or terminating a tenancy.

Nearby Cities — Eviction Risk Comparison

City Distance Population Risk score
Munising, MI 16 mi 1,975 4.1
K. I. Sawyer, MI 20.7 mi 2,817 5.0
Rock, MI 22 mi 160 5.0
Harvey, MI 22.4 mi 2,880 4.9
Gwinn, MI 24.7 mi 1,435 5.3
Marquette, MI 26.3 mi 21,325 5.8
Trowbridge Park, MI 28.4 mi 2,396 5.9
Rapid River, MI 28.9 mi 223 4.7

Landlord Guides for Michigan

Eviction Costs — Michigan →
Filing fees, attorney fees, lost rent, sheriff lockout
Eviction Process — Michigan →
Step-by-step timeline, notices, statute cites
Rent Control — Michigan →
Statewide caps, local ordinances, just-cause
Tenant Screening — Michigan →
5-point protocol, legal rules, protected classes
Tenant Protections — Michigan →
Just cause, retaliation, habitability, entry