In court-decided eviction outcomes for Renville, MN, tenants prevail in roughly 36.4% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
98d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Renville, MN until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 98 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$3.6–8.8k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Renville, MN costs landlords $3,578 to $8,770 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$676
25% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Renville, MN is $676 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 25% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
29.9%
of households
29.9% of occupied housing units in Renville, MN are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
11.2%
5.4% unemp.
11.2% of Renville, MN residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 5.4%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
GOP margin +41.4% (2024)
3.9
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
3.9
State political climate
Minnesota legislature & governorship
4.3
Economic stress
11.2% poverty · 5.4% unemp.
6.3
Supply constraint
$676 average · 29.9% renters
4.3
Rent Control risk
24.9% of income on rent
3.6
Eviction process difficulty
98 days filing → judgment
3.6
Tenant organizing strength
29.9% renters
6.4
Housing court bias
County bench composition
4.6
Geographic context
Risk heat across Renville and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Renville compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Renville County
Moderate
#6of 11 cities
#6 of 11 cities in Renville County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Minnesota
Moderate
#539of 909 cities
#539 of 909 cities in Minnesota for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
4.7
/ 10 · MODERATE
The verdict
A Moderate-tier market.
Composite 4.7/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+1.9 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
98d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $676/mo. A contested eviction takes 98 days and costs $3,578–$8,770 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
29.9%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 1,503 residents, 29.9% rent. 25% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 11.2% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
3.9
Local + regional
The politics
Light-statute interior market.
Local & regional political climate score 3.9 and 3.9 (GOP margin +41.4% (2024)). State climate at 4.3, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
4.3
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 4.3/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 3.6, housing court bias 4.6, rent-control risk 3.6. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-1.4 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
6.3
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 6.3. Supply constraint: 4.3. The numbers behind those: 11.2% poverty, 5.4% unemployment, 25% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Renville sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Renville · 98d · ~$6.2k all-in ($63/day) · score 4.7National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Renville, Minnesota, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 4.7/10 (MODERATE tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Renville is a city of 1,503 residents where 29.9% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 24.9% of income on rent. At an average rent of $676/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Renville eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 3.6/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Renville closes 98 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Renville's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 4.6/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Renville runs $3,578 to $8,770 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 98 days of typical timeline and $676/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 6.4/10 in Renville, and the city has limited rent control exposure (3.6/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In Minnesota, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Renville: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a MODERATE tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match Minnesota's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $8,770 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Renville
Trap · PRACTICAL TRAP
Compare Renville to neighboring cities in Renville County via the grid below. The 3.9/10 score is computed from nine sub-factors plus a state-law multiplier under Minn. Stat. 504B. Renville County 2020 presidential margin: R+36.6. Cross-reference the state overview link in the guides section for Minnesota statutory detail.
04Eviction filings
Live filings tracking · Eviction Lab
Princeton Eviction Lab Tracking System, state-level (no county tracker available). Last update 2026-05-01.
In the most recent month, 2,011 eviction cases were filed across the tracker's coverage area, 1.03× the historical baseline (near baseline). Past 12 months: 26,070 filings. Pandemic-era cumulative: 113,788.
2,011Past month
26,070Past 12 months
1.03×vs baseline (past mo)
11.5%Repeat-tenant filings
Notice requirement: no advance notice (in the case of nonpayment of rent). Filing fee: minimum filing fee of $310.
Last 36 months of filings2023-05-01 – 2026-04-01
Filings stayed roughly flat over the past 12 months.
Source: Eviction Lab Tracking System, Princeton University. Open Data Commons Attribution license.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What happens if my Renville tenant pays partial rent after I give a 14-day notice?
If you accept partial rent after issuing a 14-day pay-or-quit notice, you risk waiving your right to evict based on that specific notice. In Minnesota, accepting partial payment can be seen as creating a new tenancy or resetting the notice period. It's generally best to either accept the full amount owed or proceed with the eviction. If you do accept a partial payment, get a written agreement stating it does not waive your eviction rights and that the remaining balance is still due by a specific date, or that you will proceed with the eviction for the remaining balance.
Q2
Can I charge a security deposit equal to three months' rent in Renville, MN?
While Minnesota law doesn't impose a statutory cap on security deposits, charging three months' rent is unusually high and might make your property uncompetitive or even be challenged as unreasonable in court. Most landlords stick to one to two months' rent. While legal, it might not be practical or advisable in the Renville market. Always consider Minnesota security deposit rules for the return process, which is 21 days.
Q3
Is "cash for keys" a legal option in Renville?
Yes, "cash for keys" is a legal and often highly effective strategy in Renville and throughout Minnesota. It's a voluntary agreement where you offer a tenant money to vacate the property by a certain date, typically leaving it in good condition. This can save you significant time and money compared to a formal eviction, which can cost $3,578, $8,770 and take 98 days. Always get the agreement in writing, specifying the move-out date, the condition of the property, and when the payment will be made (often after the tenant vacates and the property is inspected).
Q4
Do I need an attorney for an eviction in Renville?
While you can technically represent yourself in an Unlawful Detainer action, it's highly recommended to hire an attorney, especially given the typical eviction costs in Minnesota. The legal process is complex, and even small errors can lead to delays or dismissal of your case, costing you more in lost rent and re-filing fees. An attorney can navigate the specific notice requirements, court procedures, and potential tenant defenses, ensuring your case is handled efficiently. Consider the Minnesota eviction costs and timeline; legal expertise can often save you money in the long run.
A 4.7/10 places Renville in the 50th percentile of Minnesota cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has climbed steadily since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Cities with similar eviction risk to Renville (4.7/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
