Luce County, Michigan Eviction Risk: Low

Luce County sits in Michigan's Upper Peninsula with a population of 1,482 - one of the smallest rental markets in the state. The county scores 3/10 on the Eviction Risk Map scale, placing it in the Low risk category and ranking 46th out of 83 Michigan counties. That position means 45 counties carry a higher eviction risk, and 37 are more landlord-friendly, putting Luce squarely in the middle third of the state. For landlords operating here, the numbers reflect a quiet, rural rental market where tenant-side financial stress is real but legal complexity stays low.

The county's two tracked cities tell a consistent story. Newberry, the county seat and by far the largest community at 1,329 residents, scores 3.1/10 - the highest risk point in the county. Grand Marais, a small Lake Superior village of 153 residents, scores 2.4/10 at the low end. The spread between those two figures is narrow, which signals a market where conditions do not vary dramatically from one end of the county to the other. Average rent across the county is $710 per month, well below state and national averages, which keeps nominal dollar amounts in eviction disputes modest. Renters make up 25.4% of households - a minority share typical of rural Upper Peninsula communities where owner-occupancy dominates.

The financial stress indicators deserve close attention despite the low risk score. The average rent burden sits at 29.7% of income, approaching the 30% threshold that housing economists traditionally flag as the line between manageable and strained. The poverty rate is 26%, meaningfully above the national average and a reminder that while the legal environment in Luce County is straightforward for landlords, a significant share of tenants are operating with limited financial margin. Nonpayment evictions here are governed by MCL 600.5714, which requires a 7-day notice before filing. Court filing fees run $45 to $150, and uncontested cases typically resolve in 21 to 45 days. Landlords who need legal representation should budget $500 to $2,500 in attorney fees under standard Michigan rates. Michigan law preempts any local rent control ordinance, so there is no patchwork of municipal rules to navigate - statewide statute under MCL § 554.601 et seq. governs the landlord-tenant relationship from lease signing through possession recovery.

Luce County's Low risk score reflects a rural Upper Peninsula market with low rents and minimal legal complexity, though above-average poverty rates mean tenant payment reliability warrants careful screening before signing a lease.