Hubbard County, Minnesota Eviction Risk: Moderate

Hubbard County sits in north-central Minnesota lake country with a total renter population of roughly 5,383 residents spread across six communities. The county carries an eviction risk score of 4.9/10 (Moderate), placing it 25th riskiest among Minnesota's 87 counties - meaning 62 counties in the state present a less challenging environment for landlords. That position in the higher-risk third of Minnesota reflects a combination of modest renter incomes, a relatively high renter share, and state-level tenant protections that add procedural weight to any eviction attempt.

The rental market here is tight but not expensive by metro standards. Average rent lands at $835/month, yet renters dedicate an average of 30.5% of income to housing costs - a burden level that leaves limited buffer before a missed paycheck becomes a missed rent check. Nearly 39.2% of residents are renters, and 13.5% of the population lives below the poverty line, two indicators that track closely with elevated eviction filing rates in comparable rural Minnesota markets. Park Rapids anchors the county with a population of 4,270 and a score of 4.9/10; smaller communities Lake George and Laporte both score 5.1/10, the highest risk readings in the county, while Nevis and Akeley sit at the lower end at 4.6/10.

On the cost side, Minnesota's Minn. Stat. § 504B (Landlord and Tenant) framework sets firm procedural floors. Court filing fees run $310 to $410, sheriff lockout fees add another $55 to $150, and attorney fees for a contested matter typically run $750 to $3,000. An uncontested case resolves in roughly 30 to 60 days; a contested filing can stretch 60 to 150 days. Minn. Stat. § 504B.291 requires a 14-day notice for nonpayment of rent before any court action, and a 30-day notice under Minn. Stat. § 504B.135 covers material lease violations and month-to-month terminations. Minnesota does not require just cause for eviction at the state level and does not currently preempt local rent control ordinances, though Hubbard County has no active rent control in place. Landlords should note that source of income is a protected class under the Minnesota Human Rights Act, administered by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, and Minn. Stat. § 504B.441 prohibits retaliatory evictions. Habitability obligations run under Minn. Stat. § 504B.161, requiring landlords to maintain premises in reasonable repair; a violation can give tenants a statutory defense that complicates an otherwise straightforward filing.

Scores across Hubbard County's six cities range from 4.6/10 to 5.1/10 - a narrow band that reflects consistent rural rental market conditions rather than any single high-risk pocket, though Lake George and Laporte carry the county's peak exposure.