Pennington County, Minnesota Eviction Risk: Moderate

Pennington County sits in northwestern Minnesota with a total population of approximately 9,397 and a moderate eviction risk score of 4/10. That score places the county 61st out of 87 Minnesota counties - a lower-risk position, with 26 counties scoring less risky for landlords and 60 counties carrying higher risk. For landlords operating here, that context matters: the regulatory environment is less demanding than most of the state, but it is not without compliance obligations.

The county's four tracked cities tell a spread story. Thief River Falls - by far the largest community at roughly 8,823 residents - anchors the county risk figure at 4/10. St. Hilaire (population 259) scores 3.4/10, and Goodridge (population 49) reaches the county high of 3.8/10. Grygla, the smallest tracked city at 266 residents, sits at the county low of 3.4/10. The range from 3.4 to 4 is narrow, which reflects how consistently the local market operates without the sharp intra-county variation seen in metro-adjacent counties. Average rent across the county is $841 per month, with an average rent burden of 25.7% of income. About 35.1% of county households are renters, and the average poverty rate sits at 11% - figures that together point to a market where tenant financial stress is present but not at crisis levels.

Minnesota landlords everywhere operate under Minn. Stat. § 504B (Landlord and Tenant), and Pennington County is no exception. Nonpayment evictions require a 14-day notice under Minn. Stat. § 504B.291, while material lease violations and month-to-month terminations each require 30 days under Minn. Stat. § 504B.135. Court filing fees run $310 to $410, sheriff lockout fees between $55 and $150, and attorney costs typically range from $750 to $3,000 depending on complexity. Uncontested cases typically resolve in 30 to 60 days; contested matters can stretch 60 to 150 days. Minnesota is a source-of-income-protected state (enforced through the Minnesota Department of Human Rights), meaning landlords must accept Housing Choice Vouchers and similar assistance - a compliance point that catches out-of-state investors by surprise. There is no rent cap and no just-cause requirement statewide, and Minnesota does not preempt local rent control ordinances, though no local jurisdiction in Pennington County has enacted one.

Pennington County's moderate score reflects a rural northwestern Minnesota eviction laws market where rent levels and renter share remain below state urban averages, and where the legal framework follows statewide statutes without additional local overlays.