Redwood County, Minnesota Eviction Risk: Moderate

Redwood County sits in the lower-risk third of Minnesota eviction laws's 87 counties, earning an eviction risk score of 4.5/10 (Moderate) - ranking 84th statewide, where rank 1 represents the highest risk. That placement means 83 counties carry greater landlord exposure than Redwood, while only 3 score lower. The county's roughly 9,821 residents are spread across 14 cities, with the county seat of Redwood Falls accounting for more than half the total population at 5,068 people.

Renters here face real cost pressure despite the rural setting. Average rent of $802 per month against an average rent burden of 32.8% of household income pushes many households close to the conventional affordability threshold. An average poverty rate of 14.4% and a renter share of 27.6% of occupied units mean the renter pool is relatively small but economically vulnerable - a combination that keeps eviction risk from falling into the lowest tier. When income disruptions hit, landlords here have limited cushion before nonpayment filings become necessary. Under Minn. Stat. § 504B.291, a 14-day notice is required before filing on nonpayment; contested proceedings can stretch 60 to 150 days and carry attorney costs of $750 to $3,000.

Risk is not evenly distributed across the county. Belview is the county's riskiest city at 5.1/10, followed by Vesta at 4.8/10 and Walnut Grove at 4.7/10. The county seat, Redwood Falls, sits at 4.5/10 - matching the county average - while smaller towns like Lamberton (4.3/10) and Morgan (4.4/10) come in slightly below. Court filing fees for an eviction action range from $310 to $410, with an additional sheriff lockout fee of $55 to $150 once a judgment is obtained. Those costs compound quickly in contested cases, making early lease screening and written rent-increase notices particularly important for landlords operating in smaller markets where tenant turnover can be slow.

Scores across Redwood County's 14 tracked cities range from a low of 4.1/10 to a high of 5.1/10 in Belview, a narrow band that reflects consistent rural market conditions rather than localized hotspots of regulatory or economic stress.