Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from constituent census tracts, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
13.5%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Philipsburg, MT, tenants prevail in roughly 13.5% 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
26d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Philipsburg, MT until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 26 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$0.9–3.1k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Philipsburg, MT costs landlords $866 to $3,061 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$854
42% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Philipsburg, MT is $854 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 42% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
47.7%
of households
47.7% of occupied housing units in Philipsburg, 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
14.5%
13.5% unemp.
14.5% of Philipsburg, MT residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 13.5%. 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
GOP margin +44.0% (2024)
3.8
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
3.8
State political climate
Montana legislature & governorship
1.7
Economic stress
14.5% poverty · 13.5% unemp.
8.0
Supply constraint
$854 average · 47.7% renters
6.8
Rent Control risk
41.9% of income on rent
7.0
Eviction process difficulty
26 days filing → judgment
1.1
Tenant organizing strength
47.7% renters
9.0
Housing court bias
County bench composition
6.8
Geographic context
Risk heat across Philipsburg and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Philipsburg compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Granite County
Very High
#1of 4 cities
#1 of 4 cities in Granite County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Montana
Very High
#35of 496 cities
#35 of 496 cities in Montana for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.6
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 2.6/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+0.4 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
26d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $854/mo. A contested eviction takes 26 days and costs $866–$3,061 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
47.7%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 754 residents, 47.7% rent. 42% 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.
3.8
Local + regional
The politics
Light-statute interior market.
Local & regional political climate score 3.8 and 3.8 (GOP margin +44.0% (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 1.1, housing court bias 6.8, rent-control risk 7. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.9 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
8
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the real risk.
Economic stress: 8. Supply constraint: 6.8. The numbers behind those: 14.5% poverty, 13.5% unemployment, 42% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Philipsburg sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Philipsburg · 26d · ~$2.0k all-in ($76/day) · score 2.6National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Philipsburg, Montana, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.6/10 (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.
Philipsburg is a city of 754 residents where 47.7% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 41.9% of income on rent. At an average rent of $854/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 Philipsburg eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 1.1/10, 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 Philipsburg closes 26 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 Philipsburg's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 6.8/10 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 Philipsburg runs $866 to $3,061 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 26 days of typical timeline and $854/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 9/10 in Philipsburg, and the city carries meaningful rent control exposure (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 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 Philipsburg: 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 $3,061 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Philipsburg
Trap · 47.7%
47.7% renter share against 754 residents produces roughly 360 rental occupants in Philipsburg. Granite County voted R 37.2% in 2020. Eviction filings tend to cluster in the multifamily rental corridor.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
Can I evict a tenant for any reason in Philipsburg?
No, not for "any" reason. Montana does not have a statewide just-cause eviction law, meaning you generally don't need a "just cause" to terminate a month-to-month tenancy with proper notice. However, you cannot evict for discriminatory reasons, as retaliation, or if it violates your lease. For non-payment, you need to follow the 3-day notice process. For other lease violations, the notice period varies, but typically starts at 3 days for curable violations.
Q2
What's the biggest mistake landlords make during eviction in Philipsburg?
The biggest mistake is usually improper notice. Either the notice isn't served correctly, or it has errors in the dates or amounts. This will get your case thrown out of court, forcing you to restart the entire process, which means more lost rent and more time. Another common mistake is attempting self-help eviction, like changing locks or turning off utilities. Don't do it. It's illegal and will cost you dearly.
Q3
Is there a limit to how much I can charge for a security deposit?
No, Montana state law does not set a statutory cap on security deposits. However, most landlords in Philipsburg charge one or two months' rent. Charging an excessive amount might deter good tenants or be seen as unreasonable by a court if challenged.
Q4
How quickly can I get a tenant out who hasn't paid rent?
The fastest typical timeline for a non-payment eviction in Philipsburg is about 26 days from the date you serve the 3-day pay-or-quit notice. This assumes no delays, no tenant defenses, and immediate court action. Realistically, it can take longer, especially if the tenant fights it. Your best bet is to act quickly and correctly at every step.
Q5
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Philipsburg Justice Court?
You are not legally required to have a lawyer for an eviction in Montana Justice Court. Many landlords handle the process themselves. However, if the case is complex, the tenant has legal representation, or you are unsure about the legal procedures, hiring an attorney is a smart move. They can ensure you follow all rules and present your case effectively.
A 2.6/10 places Philipsburg in the 97th 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 Philipsburg (2.6/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
