Rock County, Minnesota Eviction Risk: Moderate

Rock County sits in the southwestern corner of Minnesota, a rural county of 6,782 residents where roughly 27.9% of households rent rather than own. The county earns a Moderate eviction risk score of 4.6/10 and ranks 80th out of 87 Minnesota counties - meaning only 7 counties statewide present a lower risk environment for landlords. That position in the lower-risk third of Minnesota reflects a combination of modest rent levels, contained rent burden, and a straightforward regulatory framework inherited from state statute rather than any local overlay.

The county seat of Luverne (population 4,925, score 4.6/10) accounts for the bulk of the rental market here, with smaller communities like Hills (score 4.7/10) and Hardwick (score 4.5/10) rounding out the mid-range. At the higher end, Kenneth scores 5.3/10 and Steen scores 4.8/10 - both small villages where a single contested case can move local averages noticeably. Average rent across the county is $694 per month, well below Minnesota's urban benchmarks, and the average rent burden sits at 26.3% of renter income. Average poverty is 10.4%. Those figures together point to a tenant population that is stretched but not at crisis levels compared to metro counties - a condition that tends to keep filing volumes manageable.

Landlords operating here work entirely within Minnesota's statewide framework under Minn. Stat. § 504B (Landlord and Tenant). There is no local rent control ordinance and the state does not preempt local rent control, though none exists in Rock County. Just cause for eviction is not required under current law. Nonpayment cases require a 14-day notice under Minn. Stat. § 504B.291, while lease-violation and month-to-month termination notices each require 30 days under Minn. Stat. § 504B.135. Court filing fees run $310 to $410, sheriff lockout fees range from $55 to $150, and attorney fees typically fall between $750 and $3,000 for contested matters. An uncontested eviction resolves in 30 to 60 days; a contested case can stretch to 60 to 150 days. Landlords must provide 24 hours' notice before entering a unit under Minn. Stat. § 504B.161, which also codifies the habitability standard. Source of income is a protected class under Minnesota law, administered by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights - a factor worth noting during tenant screening.

All scores and cost figures are drawn from the Eviction Risk Map research team's analysis of court filing records, Census housing data, and the Rock County regulatory environment as last reviewed on 2026-05-29.