Golden Valley County, Montana Eviction Risk: Very Low

Golden Valley County, Montana eviction laws carries an average eviction risk score of 2.3/10 (Low), placing it in the middle third of Montana's 56 counties. Eighteen counties in the state are riskier, and 37 are less risky, which tells landlords this is a workable but not uniquely sheltered market. Across its 5 cities, scores run from 1.8/10 to 3/10, a span that matters given the county's total population of just 645 people. Average rent sits at $751 per month, and roughly 17.7% of households rent, so the landlord base here is small and the tenant pool is thin.

That thin population also means individual properties carry outsize weight. A single vacancy or slow-pay tenant can meaningfully affect cash flow in a market this size. The average rent burden is 23%, which is modest, suggesting most renters are not financially overextended relative to income, a favorable sign for consistent rent collection.

The cities inside Golden Valley County

Lavina, the county's highest-risk community, scores 3/10 and has a population of 134. At the opposite end, Ryegate scores 1.8/10 with 273 residents, making it the largest and lowest-risk community in the county. That gap of 1.2 points across cities of this size underscores how hyper-local risk can be even within a rural county. Broadview and Shawmut both score 2.4/10, with populations of 175 and 36 respectively, while Golden Valley Colony comes in at 2.2/10 with 27 residents.

For investors comparing cities within the county, Ryegate offers the most favorable risk profile, while Lavina warrants closer due-diligence on tenant quality and local economic stability before acquiring rental units.

State-level laws that apply here

Every lease in Golden Valley County operates under Montana eviction laws's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, MCA § 70-24. For non-payment of rent or a curable lease violation, landlords must serve a 3-day notice before filing. Ending a tenancy without cause requires 30 days notice. Understanding the full Montana eviction laws eviction process from notice to writ can help landlords budget their time: uncontested cases typically resolve in 21 to 45 days, while contested proceedings can run 45 to 120 days.

Montana eviction costs vary depending on how far a case goes. Court filing fees run $90 to $170, sheriff lockout fees add $40 to $125, and if counsel is needed, attorney fees range from $500 to $2,500. Montana eviction laws imposes no rent control and does not require just cause for non-renewal, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so landlords operating in Golden Valley County face a consistent, statewide legal framework with no local overrides. Montana security deposit limits and other tenant protections are set at the state level through the same MCA § 70-24 framework, and landlords must provide at least 24 hours notice before entering a unit.

With a poverty rate of 17.7% and a renter share of 17.7%, Golden Valley County's rental market is small but not economically fragile relative to statewide norms; review the city grid above to compare scores across all 5 communities before deciding where to place capital.