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St. James, MN Eviction Risk Score Watonwan County · Minnesota · Population 4,767 · Updated

3.5 Low
★★★ High confidence
39.8%Tenant-law probabilityi
$4,569–8,823Typical eviction costi
98 daysTypical timelinei
1.44%Eviction filing ratei
$933HUD 2BR FMR 2025i
$839Median gross renti
27.2%Rent burdeni
33.6%Rentersi

Sub-score breakdown

Local political climate
4.5
GOP margin +21.5% in 2020
Regional political climate
4.5
GOP margin +21.5% in 2020
State political climate
4.3
Economic stress
4.8
Supply constraint
3.4
$839 median rent · 33.6% renters
Rent-control risk
3.0
27.2% rent burden
Eviction process difficulty
4.3
Tenant organizing strength
3.3
33.6% renters
Housing court bias
3.6
Eviction filing rate (ground truth)
2.1
1.44 filings per 100 renter households (county, latest year)
Voucher gap (market vs HUD FMR)
0.0
Market rent -10.1% vs HUD 2BR FMR ($933)

Sub-scores are national percentile rankings (1 = most landlord-friendly, 10 = most tenant-protective) derived from ACS 2023 5-year data, 2020 county presidential margin, and state law weighting. Source: Aggregated public sources.

Location & regional heat

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About eviction risk in St. James, MN

St. James, MN has an eviction risk score of 3.5 out of 10, placing it in the low-risk tier for landlords operating in Watonwan County and the state of Minnesota. The score combines local political climate, court disposition patterns, cost-of-eviction estimates, tenant organizing strength, and the likelihood of new tenant-protective legislation in the next legislative cycle.

Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates show median gross rent as a percentage of household income is 27.2% — a core driver of eviction filings, because households above 30% of income on rent are statistically more likely to miss a payment after any income shock. Median gross rent in St. James is $839/month. About 33.6% of occupied units here are renter-occupied.

Political climate: In 2020, Watonwan County voted Republican by 21.5 points — classified as strongly landlord-leaning for purposes of rent-control or just-cause expansion risk.

What this score means for landlords

At 3.5/10, St. James is a lower-risk environment. Standard screening, documented notices, and prompt action on non-payment typically resolve quickly. Still follow your state's specific notice and service requirements.

Nearby Cities — Eviction Risk Comparison

City Distance Population Risk score
La Salle, MN 6.6 mi 28 3.2
Butterfield, MN 8.6 mi 535 3.7
Odin, MN 9.9 mi 126 3.6
Ormsby, MN 9.9 mi 136 3.5
Lewisville, MN 10.4 mi 255 3.2
Madelia, MN 11.1 mi 2,327 3.6
Darfur, MN 11.6 mi 74 3.4
Hanska, MN 13.1 mi 380 3.9

Landlord Guides & Research Tools

Deepen your research with these guides. The metrics powering this score feed directly into each breakdown.

Landlord Guides for Minnesota

Eviction Costs — Minnesota →
Filing fees, attorney fees, lost rent, sheriff lockout
Eviction Process — Minnesota →
Step-by-step timeline, notices, statute cites
Rent Control — Minnesota →
Statewide caps, local ordinances, just-cause
Tenant Screening — Minnesota →
5-point protocol, legal rules, protected classes
Tenant Protections — Minnesota →
Just cause, retaliation, habitability, entry