Lyon County, Minnesota Eviction Risk: Moderate

Lyon County carries an average eviction-risk score of 4.8/10 (Moderate) across its 9 cities, placing it 48th of 87 Minnesota counties, right in the middle third of the state. That rank means 47 counties are riskier and 39 are less risky than Lyon County, so landlords here face a genuinely middle-of-the-road environment, not a crisis market but not a frictionless one either. With a total county population of roughly 19,539, an average rent of $776, and a rent-burden rate of 26.7%, tenants are spending a meaningful share of income on housing, which elevates default risk when wages dip or expenses spike.

The intra-county spread from 4.3 to 5.4 tells a sharper story than the county average alone. Depending on which city you choose to invest in, your operating exposure in Minnesota can look more like a low-risk rural market or a noticeably more challenging one. Renter share county-wide sits at 31.9%, meaning roughly one in three households rents, a meaningful tenant base for a rural county but concentrated enough that vacancy risk is real if a major local employer contracts.

The cities inside Lyon County

The highest-risk location in the county is Lynd, scoring 4.6/10. Despite a population of only 428, Lynd's combination of socioeconomic stress indicators pushes it to the top of the county's risk list, and landlords with units there should plan for more active tenant management and tighter screening. Marshall, the county seat and by far the largest city at 13,896 residents, comes in at 4.5/10, the second-highest risk score in the county. Marshall is where most rental inventory is concentrated, so its score heavily influences the county average. Florence scores 4.5/10, and a cluster of smaller towns, Ghent, Russell, and Milroy, each land at 4.8/10.

At the other end of the range, Tracy (4.3/10, population 2,057) is the lowest-risk city in Lyon County by a clear margin. Minneota and Balaton both score 4.6/10, closer to the county average. The nearly two-point spread between Lynd and Tracy is a strong reminder that risk is hyper-local: two properties 15 miles apart in the same county can represent materially different investment profiles, and underwriting at the city level rather than the county level is essential.

State-level laws that apply here

All landlords in Lyon County operate under Minn. Stat. § 504B (Landlord and Tenant). For nonpayment of rent, Minnesota requires a 14-day notice before filing (Minn. Stat. § 504B.291). For a material lease violation or to end a month-to-month tenancy, the required notice extends to 30 days (Minn. Stat. § 504B.135). Minnesota does not require just cause for termination and has not preempted local rent control at the state level, though no rent cap formula is currently in effect statewide. Understanding the full Minnesota eviction process before you take on your first tenant here is not optional: an uncontested case can still take 30 to 60 days, while a contested matter can stretch to 150 days.

On the cost side, Minnesota eviction costs include a court filing fee of $310 to $410, a sheriff lockout fee of $55 to $150, and attorney fees ranging from $750 to $3,000 depending on complexity and whether the tenant contests. State law requires landlords to give 24 hours notice before entering a unit. Reviewing Minnesota security deposit limits and Minnesota tenant protections as a baseline before drafting your lease will reduce the likelihood of procedural errors that add time and cost to any eventual eviction. Fair housing complaints in Minnesota are handled by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, and source-of-income discrimination is a protected class under state law.

With a poverty rate of 15% county-wide, the risk of rent delinquency is real but manageable at the county level, and the city-by-city grid above shows exactly where that risk concentrates so you can calibrate your underwriting accordingly.