Becker County, Minnesota Eviction Risk: Moderate

Becker County scores 4.9/10 (Moderate) on eviction risk, averaged across 10 cities in this west-central Minnesota county with a combined tracked population of roughly 14,251. That average sits in the higher-risk third of the state, with 27 Minnesota eviction laws counties ranking riskier and 59 ranking more landlord-friendly. For investors evaluating this market, the county-wide number tells only part of the story: individual city scores span from 4.3 to 5.4, a nearly 3-point range that means landlord conditions vary considerably depending on exactly where a property sits.

The county carries a 42% renter share and an average rent of $900, with an average rent burden of 29.1% of income going toward housing costs. Those figures point to a tenant base that is moderately stretched financially, which matters when assessing payment-default risk. Operators who understand how to read intra-county variation will find meaningful differences block by block and city by city.

The cities inside Becker County

The highest-risk city in the county is Osage, which scores 5.4/10 and stands as the clearest outlier, nearly a full point above the county average. Lake Park follows at 4.5/10, and Frazee, with a population of 1,647, comes in at 5/10. These three communities cluster at the top of the risk range and deserve closer scrutiny from any landlord considering an acquisition there.

The county's largest city, Detroit Lakes (population 10,025), lands right at the county average with a score of 4.9/10, making it a reasonable baseline for the local market. On the lower-risk end, White Earth scores 5.2/10, the only city in the data approaching the bottom of the county's range, representing meaningfully different operating conditions from Audubon. Risk here is genuinely hyper-local, and the nearly 3-point gap between the county's best and worst city scores illustrates why a single county-level figure is not sufficient for site selection.

State-level laws that apply here

Every rental in Becker County operates under Minnesota eviction laws state law, specifically Minn. Stat. § 504B (Landlord and Tenant). For nonpayment of rent, landlords must serve a 14-day notice before filing in court. Material lease violations and end-of-month-to-month terminations each require a 30-day notice. Once a case is filed, the Minnesota eviction laws eviction process runs 30 to 60 days for uncontested cases and 60 to 150 days for contested ones. Court filing fees run $310 to $410, sheriff lockout fees add $55 to $150, and attorney fees where counsel is retained typically range from $750 to $3,000. Understanding the full picture of Minnesota eviction costs before acquiring property here is essential to accurate underwriting.

Minnesota eviction laws does not impose statewide just-cause requirements for eviction terminations, and there is no statewide rent cap formula in effect. Source-of-income discrimination is a protected class under state law, enforced by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, which is a relevant compliance consideration for screening. Landlords should also review Minnesota tenant protections for the full set of habitability and retaliation rules that apply, including a required 24-hour entry notice under Minn. Stat. § 504B.161.

With a county poverty rate of 14.7% and renter share of 42%, the underlying financial profile of Becker County tenants adds context to every city score in the grid above, and landlords should weigh both figures alongside local city-level risk before committing capital.