Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from county average, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
10.6%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Big Sky Colony, MT, tenants prevail in roughly 10.6% 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
28d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Big Sky Colony, MT until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 28 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$0.8–2.8k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Big Sky Colony, MT costs landlords $814 to $2,828 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$480
24% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Big Sky Colony, MT is $480 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 24% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
54.9%
of households
54.9% of occupied housing units in Big Sky Colony, MT 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
39.7%
15.6% unemp.
39.7% of Big Sky Colony, MT residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 15.6%. 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 +19.6% (2024)
6.9
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
6.9
State political climate
Montana legislature & governorship
1.7
Economic stress
39.7% poverty · 15.6% unemp.
6.0
Supply constraint
$480 average · 54.9% renters
3.3
Rent Control risk
23.8% of income on rent
1.0
Eviction process difficulty
28 days filing → judgment
2.0
Tenant organizing strength
54.9% renters
1.0
Housing court bias
County bench composition
1.1
Geographic context
Risk heat across Big Sky Colony and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Big Sky Colony compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Glacier County
Elevated
#5of 14 cities
#5 of 14 cities in Glacier County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Montana
Very High
#46of 496 cities
#46 of 496 cities in Montana for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.5
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 2.5/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+0.3 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
28d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $480/mo. A contested eviction takes 28 days and costs $814–$2,828 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
54.9%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 66 residents, 54.9% rent. 24% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 39.7% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
6.9
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 6.9 and 6.9 (Dem margin +19.6% (2024)). State climate at 1.7, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
1.7
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 1.7/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 2, housing court bias 1.1, rent-control risk 1. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.0 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
6
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 6. Supply constraint: 3.3. The numbers behind those: 39.7% poverty, 15.6% unemployment, 24% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Big Sky Colony sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Big Sky Colony · 28d · ~$1.8k all-in ($65/day) · score 2.5National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Big Sky Colony, Montana, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.5/10 (LOW 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.
Big Sky Colony is a city of 66 residents where 54.9% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 23.8% of income on rent. At an average rent of $480/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 Big Sky Colony eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 2/10, 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 Big Sky Colony closes 28 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 Big Sky Colony's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 1.1/10 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 Big Sky Colony runs $814 to $2,828 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 28 days of typical timeline and $480/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 1/10 in Big Sky Colony, and the city has limited rent control exposure (1/10). 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 Montana, 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 Big Sky Colony: 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 LOW 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 Montana's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $2,828 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Big Sky Colony
Trap · D+30.6
Big Sky Colony reflects the demographic and political composition of Glacier County, with eviction procedure governed at the state level. Glacier County 2020 margin: D+30.6.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What is the most common mistake landlords make during eviction?
The most common mistake is failing to serve proper notice or accepting partial rent payments after issuing a notice. Either can restart the clock or invalidate your eviction case, costing you significant time and money. Follow the 3-day pay-or-quit notice rules precisely.
Q2
Can I evict a tenant for breaking lease rules other than non-payment?
Yes, if the lease violation is material and the tenant fails to cure it after receiving proper written notice (typically a 14-day notice to cure or quit for lease violations, though this can vary depending on the severity and type of violation under MCA § 70-24-321). Always refer to your lease and the specific Montana statutes.
Q3
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Big Sky Colony?
While you can represent yourself in Justice Court, it's highly recommended to hire an attorney, especially if it's your first eviction or if the tenant contests the eviction. A lawyer ensures all legal requirements are met, speeding up the process and minimizing errors that could lead to dismissal.
Q4
What if the tenant abandons the property?
If a tenant abandons the property (e.g., leaves personal belongings and stops paying rent, with no intention of returning), Montana law has specific procedures for regaining possession and handling their abandoned property. You cannot simply change the locks. Consult MCA § 70-24-430 and consider legal advice before acting.
Q5
Are there any tenant protections in Big Sky Colony I should know about?
Big Sky Colony, being a small community, doesn't have local tenant protections beyond what's outlined in the statewide Montana Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. There's no local rent control (Montana rent control rules are prohibited statewide) or unique source-of-income protections. However, general fair housing laws always apply. For a broader view, see our Montana tenant protections guide.
A 2.5/10 places Big Sky Colony in the 91st percentile of Montana 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 Big Sky Colony (2.5/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
