In court-decided eviction outcomes for Kinney, MN, tenants prevail in roughly 34.2% 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
88d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Kinney, MN until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 88 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$4.1–9.3k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Kinney, MN costs landlords $4,097 to $9,313 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$525
9% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Kinney, MN is $525 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 9% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
14.0%
of households
14.0% of occupied housing units in Kinney, 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
14.5%
6.5% unemp.
14.5% of Kinney, MN residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 6.5%. 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
Dem margin +13.7% (2024)
6.2
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
6.2
State political climate
Minnesota legislature & governorship
4.3
Economic stress
14.5% poverty · 6.5% unemp.
7.1
Supply constraint
$525 average · 14.0% renters
2.9
Rent Control risk
9.0% of income on rent
1.7
Eviction process difficulty
88 days filing → judgment
3.7
Tenant organizing strength
14.0% renters
2.9
Housing court bias
County bench composition
4.2
Geographic context
Risk heat across Kinney and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Kinney compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in St. Louis County
Low
#20of 28 cities
#20 of 28 cities in St. Louis County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Minnesota
Elevated
#388of 909 cities
#388 of 909 cities in Minnesota for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
4.8
/ 10 · MODERATE
The verdict
A Moderate-tier market.
Composite 4.8/10. 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
88d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $525/mo. A contested eviction takes 88 days and costs $4,097–$9,313 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
14.0%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 115 residents, 14.0% rent. 9% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 14.5% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
6.2
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 6.2 and 6.2 (Dem margin +13.7% (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 3.7, housing court bias 4.2, rent-control risk 1.7. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-1.3 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
7.1
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 7.1. Supply constraint: 2.9. The numbers behind those: 14.5% poverty, 6.5% unemployment, 9% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Kinney sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Kinney · 88d · ~$6.7k all-in ($76/day) · score 4.8National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Kinney, Minnesota, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 4.8/10 (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.
Kinney is a city of 115 residents where 14.0% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 9.0% of income on rent. At an average rent of $525/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 Kinney eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 3.7/10, 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 Kinney closes 88 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 Kinney's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 4.2/10 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 Kinney runs $4,097 to $9,313 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 88 days of typical timeline and $525/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 2.9/10 in Kinney, and the city has limited rent control exposure (1.7/10). 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 Kinney: 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 $9,313 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Kinney
Trap · 15.6 POINTS
Politically, St. Louis County voted Democratic by 15.6 points in 2020, a baseline that correlates with tenant-protective legislative pressure. Combined with 9% rent-to-income ratio, expect baseline enforcement of Minn. Stat. 504B.
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
Can I evict a tenant in Kinney for any reason?
No, not for "any reason." While Minnesota doesn't have statewide "just cause" eviction requirements for lease terminations, you must still follow proper notice procedures. For non-payment, you need a 14-day notice. For month-to-month leases, a 30-day notice is standard. You cannot evict based on discrimination or in retaliation for a tenant exercising their legal rights, which are covered by Minnesota tenant protections.
Q2
How much will it really cost me to evict someone in Kinney?
Based on state averages, expect costs to range from $4,097 to $9,313. This includes court filing fees, potential attorney fees (which are the largest variable), lost rent for 88 days, and sheriff fees for lockout. The higher end of that range is for contested cases where the tenant fights the eviction.
Q3
What's the fastest way to get a problem tenant out in Kinney?
The fastest legal way is usually "cash for keys." If a tenant is willing to move out quickly in exchange for a payment, it can bypass the entire court process, saving you months and thousands of dollars. Get the agreement in writing, specifying the move-out date and property condition. Otherwise, you must follow the 14-day notice and Unlawful Detainer process, which takes about 88 days.
Q4
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Kinney?
You are not legally required to have a lawyer, but it's strongly recommended, especially if you're not experienced with evictions. Minnesota's eviction laws are specific, and mistakes in notice, filing, or court procedure can cause significant delays and added costs. An attorney ensures compliance and protects your interests.
Q5
Can I keep the security deposit if a tenant breaks the lease early?
You can keep parts of the security deposit for actual damages beyond normal wear and tear or for unpaid rent. If a tenant breaks a lease, you have a duty to mitigate damages by trying to re-rent the unit. You can charge for lost rent until a new tenant is found, as well as re-rental costs. You must still provide an itemized list of deductions within 21 days.
A 4.8/10 places Kinney in the 64th 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 Kinney (4.8/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
