Renville County, Minnesota Eviction Risk: Moderate

Renville County sits in the lower-risk third of Minnesota, scoring 4.7/10 (Moderate) on the Eviction Risk Map and ranking 68th of 87 counties statewide - meaning 67 Minnesota eviction laws counties carry higher eviction risk. Across 11 tracked communities and a total population of 9,511, the county presents a picture familiar to southwest Minnesota eviction laws agricultural markets: below-average rents, limited rental stock, and a modest but real poverty rate that keeps month-to-month turnover steady. Average rent runs $753/month, and renters here spend an average of 30.2% of income on housing - a burden level that sits at the boundary researchers flag as financially stressed. Only 24.6% of households rent, so ownership dominates, but the renter pool is concentrated in a handful of small cities where a single late-pay or lease dispute can move quickly to court.

The county seat of Olivia (population 2,205, score 4.7/10) is the largest rental market and the most common venue for Minn. Stat. § 504B filings in this county. The city of Renville (1,503 residents, 4.7/10) and Hector (1,130 residents, 4.7/10) follow closely. The outlier to watch is Buffalo Lake, which scores 4.9/10 - the highest reading in the county - despite a population of only 635. Small rental pools in villages like Buffalo Lake can skew local risk upward when a handful of distressed properties or repeat filers dominate filings. Fairfax (1,088 residents, 4.6/10) and Bird Island (930 residents, 4.6/10) round out the mid-tier. At the calmer end, Sacred Heart holds the county's lowest score at 4.5/10. The narrow band from 4.5 to 4.9 across all 11 cities signals consistent landlord-tenant dynamics rather than pockets of concentrated distress.

Minnesota eviction laws's eviction framework under Minn. Stat. § 504B governs every jurisdiction in Renville County. Landlords must give 14 days' written notice for nonpayment of rent per Minn. Stat. § 504B.291, and 30 days' notice for a material lease violation or to end a month-to-month tenancy under Minn. Stat. § 504B.135. Filing an eviction action in Renville County costs $310 to $410 in court fees. After judgment, a sheriff lockout runs an additional $55 to $150. Uncontested cases typically resolve in 30 to 60 days; contested hearings extend to 60 to 150 days. Attorney fees in rural Minnesota courts commonly fall in the $750 to $3,000 range depending on complexity. Minnesota does not cap rent increases statewide and does not require just cause for non-renewal, so landlords retain pricing and tenancy-end flexibility. The state does protect source of income as a fair housing category through the Minnesota Department of Human Rights - a consideration when screening voucher holders. With a 12.1% average poverty rate, pre-screening and written lease clarity remain the most effective risk-reduction tools available to owners in this market.

Renville County's 4.7/10 score reflects a balance of low rent levels, thin renter density, and standard Minnesota eviction laws eviction timelines - no rent control, no just-cause requirement, and court access that is straightforward once the required notice periods have run.