Brown County, Minnesota Eviction Risk: Moderate

Brown County, Minnesota eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 4.7/10 (Moderate) across its 9 incorporated cities, placing it rank 51 of 87 Minnesota counties, right in the middle third of the state. That ranking means 50 counties statewide are riskier and 36 are more landlord-friendly, so Brown County is neither a standout haven nor a warning sign. With a countywide average rent of $901 and a rent burden of 29.4%, the market is modestly stressed but not in the distress range that tends to drive high eviction filing rates.

The intra-county spread, from a low of 3.7/10 to a high of 4.3/10, is comparatively tight, which tells landlords that operating conditions are fairly consistent across the county rather than being driven by one outlier city. A 24.4% renter share means most households are owner-occupied, limiting the renter pool but also dampening the volume of potential eviction disputes in any given year. Overall, Brown County presents a workable but not frictionless environment for residential investors.

The cities inside Brown County

Evan carries the highest risk score in the county at 5.3/10 and is by far the largest city, with a population of 14,056. Because it concentrates the overwhelming majority of the county's 20,594 total residents, its score effectively anchors the county average. Landlords with portfolios concentrated in New Ulm should expect conditions typical of small regional service centers: moderate rent-nonpayment risk with limited rental housing depth. Hanska scores 4.5/10, matching the county average exactly, while Comfrey and Darfur each score 4.4/10, clustering close behind.

The lower end of the risk range is anchored by Sleepy Eye at 4.6/10 (population 3,444) and Springfield at 4.7/10 (population 2,125). Investors sizing up where in the county to acquire rentals will find materially better landlord conditions in Sleepy Eye and Springfield than in New Ulm, even though all three cities fall within a 0.6-point band. Risk is genuinely hyper-local here, and a single city choice shifts the operating environment more than the county average alone suggests.

State-level laws that apply here

Every Brown County landlord operates under Minnesota eviction laws state law, specifically Minn. Stat. § 504B (Landlord and Tenant). Nonpayment of rent triggers a 14-day notice requirement under Minn. Stat. § 504B.291. Material lease violations and month-to-month terminations each require a 30-day notice under Minn. Stat. § 504B.135. Once a filing is made, an uncontested eviction typically resolves in 30 to 60 days; a contested case can stretch to 60 to 150 days, which is a meaningful carrying-cost risk on a $901 average rent. Understanding the full Minnesota eviction laws eviction process before acquiring rentals here is essential groundwork.

Court filing fees run $310 to $410, sheriff lockout fees add $55 to $150, and attorney fees typically range from $750 to $3,000, depending on whether a case is contested. Minnesota eviction laws does not impose statewide rent control (no rent cap formula or statute applies) and does not require just cause for nonrenewal, which are both meaningful advantages for landlords managing turnover. Minnesota eviction costs can still total several thousand dollars in a contested case, so screening quality tenants upfront remains the most direct cost-control lever available. The Minnesota eviction laws Department of Human Rights enforces fair housing, and source-of-income is a protected class under state law, a compliance point landlords should build into their screening policies. For a full breakdown, review Minnesota security deposit limits and the broader Minnesota tenant protections that govern lease terms and habitability obligations under Minn. Stat. § 504B.161.

With a poverty rate of 8.8% and roughly one in four households renting, Brown County's risk profile stays moderate precisely because both economic stress and rental density remain relatively low. The city grid above breaks down individual scores for all 9 cities so investors can pinpoint where conditions are tightest.