Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota Eviction Risk: Moderate

Yellow Medicine County sits in the middle tier of Minnesota eviction laws eviction risk, carrying a county-wide average score of 4.7/10 (Moderate) across its 9 cities and a total renter population drawn from roughly 4,657 residents. That places it 53rd out of 87 Minnesota counties - 52 counties score higher risk, and 34 score lower, putting Yellow Medicine squarely in the middle third of the state. For landlords operating here, that middle-tier standing reflects a real mix: rent levels remain well below the metro average, but a meaningful share of renters are stretched financially, and Minnesota eviction laws's statewide tenant statutes create procedural costs that apply uniformly whether you own property in Canby or in Minneapolis eviction risk.

The county seat and largest city, Canby (population 1,556), tops local risk at 5/10 and also appears at the top of the riskiest-city list. Hazel Run follows at 4.8/10, then Cottonwood (population 1,061) at 4.7/10. Clarkfield (population 913) and Boyd both register 4.6/10, while Wood Lake and St. Leo each come in at 4.5/10. Taunton, the smallest tracked city at 128 residents, shows the lowest local score of 4.3/10. The spread from 4.3 to 5/10 across the county is narrow, which tells landlords that the underlying financial stress is fairly uniform rather than concentrated in one hot spot. Average rent across the county is $675/month, and renters here spend an average of 24.3% of income on housing - below the standard 30% distress threshold, but not by a comfortable margin. The average poverty rate of 11.5% and renter share of 22.1% of households confirm that this is a predominantly owner-occupied rural county where a sizable minority of renters operate with limited financial cushion.

Under Minn. Stat. § 504B, Minnesota eviction laws's unified landlord-tenant code, Yellow Medicine County landlords face the same procedural requirements as every other county in the state. A nonpayment case requires a 14-day notice under Minn. Stat. § 504B.291 before filing. Court filing fees run $310 to $410, sheriff lockout fees add another $55 to $150, and attorney fees for a contested case typically land between $750 and $3,000. Uncontested matters resolve in 30 to 60 days; contested ones stretch 60 to 150 days. Minnesota eviction laws also protects source-of-income under fair housing rules administered by the Minnesota eviction laws Department of Human Rights, and Minn. Stat. § 504B.441 prohibits retaliation against tenants who assert habitability rights under Minn. Stat. § 504B.161. The state does not require just cause for non-renewal and has not enacted a rent cap formula, though it also does not preempt local rent control ordinances - leaving that door open for any municipality that chooses to act. Entry requires 24-hour advance notice in all circumstances.

Yellow Medicine County's 4.7/10 Moderate score reflects its rural character - low rent, below-30% average burden, and no local rent control - balanced against Minnesota eviction laws's uniform procedural requirements that add real time and cost to any eviction filing regardless of county.