McLeod County, Minnesota Eviction Risk: Moderate

McLeod County scores 4.6/10 (Moderate) on the eviction-risk index, placing it 32nd among Minnesota eviction laws's 87 counties, with 31 counties carrying higher risk and 55 sitting at lower risk. For landlords, that middle-third ranking means conditions are neither dramatically investor-friendly nor particularly hostile, but the details matter. The county's average rent of $940 and a rent-burden rate of 26.9% suggest tenants are spending a meaningful share of income on housing, a factor that can elevate late-payment frequency when household finances tighten.

Across 9 cities, individual risk scores range from 4.2 to 4.8, a full 1.6-point spread around that 4.8 county average. That spread matters: two landlords operating in the same county can face meaningfully different tenant-pool conditions depending on which city their property sits in. Underwriting decisions should be made at the city level, not the county level.

The cities inside McLeod County

The highest-risk location in the county is Glencoe, scoring 4.6/10 with a population of 5,695. At roughly one-third the size of Hutchinson, Glencoe's rental market is smaller and less liquid, and its elevated score reflects conditions that tilt toward tenants rather than owners. Hutchinson, the county seat and largest city at 14,680 residents, scores 4.6/10, sitting exactly at the county average. It is the most active rental market in McLeod County, but its moderate score means landlords should price vacancies carefully and screen thoroughly. Lester Prairie also scores 4.8, while Stewart comes in at 4.7.

The lowest-risk city in the county is Lester Prairie at 4.2/10, a full 1.6 points below Glencoe. Winsted, Brownton, and Plato each score 4.4, occupying the lower-moderate tier. Investors focused on stability over yield may find the southern and smaller communities of the county more straightforward to operate in, though thinner tenant pools bring their own vacancy risk.

State-level laws that apply here

Every property in McLeod County operates under Minnesota state law, specifically Minn. Stat. § 504B (Landlord and Tenant). For nonpayment of rent, landlords must serve a 14-day notice before filing (Minn. Stat. § 504B.291). A material lease violation or termination of a month-to-month tenancy each require a 30-day notice under Minn. Stat. § 504B.135. Understanding the full Minnesota eviction process is essential before acquiring rental property here, because an uncontested case still typically runs 30 to 60 days, and a contested case can extend to 60 to 150 days.

On the cost side, court filing fees run $310 to $410, sheriff lockout fees add $55 to $150, and attorney fees for an eviction action typically range from $750 to $3,000. Minnesota eviction costs can therefore reach several thousand dollars per case on the high end, before accounting for lost rent during the proceeding. On the regulatory side, Minnesota eviction laws does not require just cause for non-renewal, and there is no statewide rent cap formula in effect, which gives owners meaningful flexibility on lease terms and renewals.

With a poverty rate of 9.4% and a renter share of 27.5% across the county, the tenant base is relatively modest in size but carries some economic fragility, making city-level selection the most effective risk-management tool available to landlords reviewing the grid above.