Red Lake County, Minnesota Eviction Risk: Moderate

Red Lake County is one of Minnesota's smallest and most rural counties, with a total population of just 2,791 and only six incorporated communities. Its average eviction risk score of 4.5/10 places it at rank 82 out of 87 Minnesota counties, meaning 81 counties carry higher risk and just 5 are considered less risky for landlords. In practical terms, Red Lake County falls in the lower-risk third of the state, which reflects both the limited density of the rental market and the relative stability of a small, established tenant population.

Average rent across the county sits at $617 per month, and the average rent burden is 25.7% of household income, which is below the commonly cited 30% distress threshold. Roughly 24.6% of residents are renters, and the average poverty rate is 9.2%. These figures point to a tight but manageable rental environment. The county seat, Red Lake Falls (population 1,348), anchors the local economy and carries a score of 4.5/10. Landlords operating there face a similar profile to the county as a whole: moderate risk with no local rent control overlays in force.

Within the county, Erskine draws the most attention on the risk map, scoring 5/10 despite a population of only 427 residents. Mentor follows at 4.8/10 with 131 residents, while Oklee and Red Lake Falls both sit at 4.5/10. Plummer (4.3/10, population 369) and Brooks (4.1/10, population 133) represent the lower end of the county range. The spread from 4.1 to 5.0 is relatively narrow, which is typical of small rural counties where local housing markets do not diverge sharply from one another. Minnesota's governing landlord-tenant statute is Minn. Stat. § 504B (Landlord and Tenant), and key procedural rules apply uniformly across all six cities. Nonpayment of rent triggers a 14-day notice under Minn. Stat. § 504B.291, while material lease violations and month-to-month terminations both require a 30-day notice under Minn. Stat. § 504B.135. If a case proceeds to court, filing fees run from $310 to $410, and sheriff lockout fees add another $55 to $150. An uncontested eviction typically resolves in 30 to 60 days; a contested case can stretch to 150 days. Attorney fees, when retained, commonly range from $750 to $3,000. Minnesota does not currently require just cause for eviction at the state level, and Red Lake County has no local just-cause ordinance in place, which is a meaningful distinction compared to Hennepin or Ramsey eviction risk counties farther east.

Red Lake County's low population density and single-digit poverty rate keep overall eviction pressure subdued, though landlords should note that Minnesota eviction laws's source-of-income protections and the 24-hour entry notice requirement under Minn. Stat. § 504B.161 apply here the same as anywhere in the state.