In court-decided eviction outcomes for Bloomington, MN, tenants prevail in roughly 32.0% 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
86d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Bloomington, MN until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 86 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$4.5–11.4k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Bloomington, MN costs landlords $4,467 to $11,380 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,561
29% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Bloomington, MN is $1,561 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 29% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
34.3%
of households
34.3% of occupied housing units in Bloomington, MN 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
9.1%
4.6% unemp.
9.1% of Bloomington, MN residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 4.6%. 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
Dem margin +42.6% (2024)
6.5
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
6.5
State political climate
Minnesota legislature & governorship
7.0
Economic stress
9.1% poverty · 4.6% unemp.
5.0
Supply constraint
$1,561 average · 34.3% renters
5.5
Rent Control risk
28.5% of income on rent
4.5
Eviction process difficulty
86 days filing → judgment
5.5
Tenant organizing strength
34.3% renters
5.5
Housing court bias
County bench composition
5.5
Geographic context
Risk heat across Bloomington and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Bloomington compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Hennepin County
Very High
#2of 42 cities
#2 of 42 cities in Hennepin County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Minnesota
Very High
#4of 909 cities
#4 of 909 cities in Minnesota for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
5.7
/ 10 · ELEVATED
The verdict
A Elevated-tier market.
Composite 5.7/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a sharp climb.
50-yr trend+2.1 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steepening since 2010 · COVID inflection visible
86d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $1,561/mo. A contested eviction takes 86 days and costs $4,467–$11,380 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
34.3%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 88,665 residents, 34.3% rent. 29% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 9.1% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
6.5
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 6.5 and 6.5 (Dem margin +42.6% (2024)). State climate at 7, a tenant-leaning legislature.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
7
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 7/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 5.5, housing court bias 5.5, rent-control risk 4.5. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +0.5 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
5
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 5. Supply constraint: 5.5. The numbers behind those: 9.1% poverty, 4.6% unemployment, 29% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Bloomington sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Bloomington · 86d · ~$7.9k all-in ($92/day) · score 5.7National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Bloomington, Minnesota, presents an elevated-friction market where documented notices and proactive screening matter. The Eviction Risk Score is 5.7/10 (ELEVATED 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 Elevated-friction market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Bloomington is a city of 88,665 residents where 34.3% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 3.8% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,561/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 Bloomington eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 5.5/10, 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 Bloomington closes 86 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 Bloomington's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 5.5/10 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 Bloomington runs $4,467 to $11,380 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 86 days of typical timeline and $1,561/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 5.5/10 in Bloomington, and the city has limited rent control exposure (4.5/10). 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 Minnesota, 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 Bloomington: 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 ELEVATED 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 Minnesota's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $11,380 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Bloomington
Trap · 6.2/10
The 5.6/10 score weighs nine sub-factors including political climate, court bias, supply constraint, and tenant organizing strength. Bloomington's rent-control-risk sub-score is 6.2/10, driven by demographic and political pressure for tenant relief.
04Eviction filings
Latest Eviction Filings
Princeton Eviction Lab Tracking System, county-level. Last update 2026-05-01.
In the most recent month, 1,210 eviction cases were filed across the tracker's coverage area, 1.16× the historical baseline (near baseline). Past 12 months: 15,263 filings. Pandemic-era cumulative: 62,203.2
1,210Past month
15,263Past 12 months
1.16×vs baseline (past mo)
11.8%Repeat-tenant filings
Notice requirement: no advance notice (in the case of nonpayment of rent). Filing fee: $322 filing fee in Hennepin County or $325 in Ramsey County.
Last 36 months of filings2023-05-01 — 2026-04-01
Filings stayed roughly flat over the past 12 months.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What is the biggest risk for landlords in Bloomington, MN?
The biggest risk is the high cost and long timeline of an eviction. With average costs between $4,467-$11,380 and an 86-day timeline, a single non-paying tenant can severely impact your cash flow. This emphasizes the need for excellent tenant screening and swift, legally compliant action when issues arise.
Q2
Can I charge whatever I want for a security deposit in Minnesota?
While Minnesota doesn't have a statutory cap on security deposits, it's generally recommended to charge no more than one to two months' rent. Charging an excessive amount can be seen as unreasonable and might make it harder to find good tenants or win a dispute in court.
Q3
Is "cash for keys" a legal option in Bloomington?
Yes, "cash for keys" is a legal and often recommended option in Minnesota. It's a voluntary agreement where you pay a tenant to move out by a specific date, leaving the property in good condition. It can save you significant time and money compared to a formal eviction, especially in a state with a lengthy process like Minnesota. Always get the agreement in writing.
Q4
What if a tenant pays part of the rent after I've issued a 14-day notice?
If a tenant pays only part of the rent after you've issued a 14-day pay-or-quit notice, you generally should not accept it unless you intend to waive your right to evict for that specific period. Accepting partial payment can reset the notice period or be interpreted as you agreeing to a new payment plan, complicating your eviction case. Consult your attorney before accepting any partial payments once an eviction process has begun.
Q5
Do I need an attorney for an eviction in Bloomington?
While you can technically represent yourself, it's highly recommended to hire an experienced landlord-tenant attorney for an eviction in Bloomington. Minnesota's eviction laws are complex, and the court system can be unforgiving of procedural errors. Given the high costs and long timelines involved, making a mistake can be far more expensive than attorney fees. An attorney ensures you follow proper procedure, navigate court, and protect your interests.
Q6
What are the rules for late fees in Bloomington?
Minnesota law allows landlords to charge late fees, but they must be "reasonable." While there isn't a specific statutory cap, courts generally look at whether the fee is a fair estimate of the damages incurred by the landlord due to late payment. Typically, a late fee of around 5-8% of the monthly rent, or a flat fee of $50-$100, is considered reasonable. Always state the late fee clearly in your lease agreement.
A 5.7/10 places Bloomington in the 100th percentile of Minnesota 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 risen sharply 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.
Neighborhoods in Bloomington (3 with eviction-risk data)
Click a neighborhood to see its pop-weighted score, constituent census tracts, and demographics. Sorted by population.
