Otter Tail County, Minnesota Eviction Risk: Moderate

Otter Tail County, Minnesota scores 5/10 (Moderate) on eviction risk, averaged across 17 cities spread over a largely rural lake-country landscape. That figure puts the county at rank 34 of 87 Minnesota eviction laws counties, meaning 33 counties carry higher risk and 53 are more landlord-friendly, squarely placing Otter Tail in the middle third of the state. For investors, a 4.7 county average signals workable operating conditions, but not a uniformly low-risk market, and the intra-county spread from 4.2 to 5.2 makes that point clearly: the right city choice matters as much as the county choice itself.

The average rent across the county sits at $838, with renters carrying an average rent burden of 28% of income. Renter households make up 35.9% of occupied units, a meaningful share for a rural county, and the average poverty rate of 12.7% adds some context for why certain cities in the county shade toward the higher end of the risk scale. Landlords who price carefully and screen thoroughly will generally find the statutory framework here reasonable, but the gap between the county's best and worst cities is real and worth understanding before acquiring.

The cities inside Otter Tail County

The highest eviction-risk locations in the county are Fergus Falls and Richville, each scoring 5.1/10. Fergus Falls is by far the county seat and its largest city, home to 14,181 residents, and it dominates the rental market in a way no other city in the county approaches. Its 5.1 score reflects elevated tenant-side pressures relative to other options in Otter Tail. Richville carries the same score in a much smaller footprint. New York Mills (population 1,371) and Henning (population 860) both score 4.5/10, and Dalton comes in at 4.8/10, all clustering in the upper half of the county risk range.

Investors seeking a lower-risk operating environment within the county should look toward Pelican Rapids and Perham. Vining (population 2,586) scores the lowest in the county at 4.2/10, and Perham (population 3,627) follows at 5.2/10. Both are established small-city markets with more favorable landlord conditions. The 1.2-point spread between the county floor and ceiling underscores that risk here is genuinely hyper-local, and evaluating individual cities, not just the county average, is essential due diligence.

State-level laws that apply here

All landlords in Otter Tail County operate under Minnesota state law, principally Minn. Stat. § 504B (Landlord and Tenant). For nonpayment of rent, Minnesota requires a 14-day notice before filing. Lease-violation and month-to-month termination notices each require 30 days. Understanding the Minnesota eviction process is important because the timeline for an uncontested case runs 30 to 60 days from filing to resolution; a contested case can extend to 60 to 150 days. Minnesota does not require just cause for termination and has no statewide rent cap, which is favorable for owners managing lease renewals and rent adjustments.

On the cost side, court filing fees under Minnesota law run $310 to $410, sheriff lockout fees add $55 to $150, and attorney fees typically range from $750 to $3,000 depending on case complexity. Landlords budgeting for a contested removal should plan around the higher ends of each range. Minnesota eviction costs can stack up quickly once a case is disputed, which reinforces the value of strong tenant screening upfront. Minnesota security deposit limits and Minnesota tenant protections are both worth reviewing in full before signing leases in this market, as the state does carry source-of-income protections under the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.

With a poverty rate of 12.7% and renters comprising 35.9% of households countywide, underlying demand is real but tenant financial fragility varies meaningfully by city; the grid above breaks down each of the 17 cities by individual score so landlords can pinpoint which markets align with their risk tolerance.