Judith Basin County, Montana Eviction Risk: Very Low

Judith Basin County, Montana eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 2.4/10 (Low), but that headline number rewards a closer look before you commit capital here. Spread across 11 cities in a county of roughly 936 total residents, conditions range from 1.7/10 at the friendliest end to 3.2/10 at the upper limit. The county ranks 12th of 56 Montana eviction laws counties, meaning only 11 counties statewide carry more risk and 44 are more landlord-friendly, placing Judith Basin firmly in the higher-risk third of the state despite its Low label.

For a landlord or investor, the practical picture is a thin rental market: average rent runs $813 per month against an average rent burden of 20.4%, and only about 24.7% of households rent at all. A poverty rate of 15.4% adds credit-screening complexity that larger markets tend to absorb more easily. Rents are modest, vacancy risk is real given the small renter pool, and diligent tenant selection matters more here than in denser urban markets.

The cities inside Judith Basin County

Risk is anything but uniform once you zoom to the city level. Denton (pop. 193) leads the county at 3.2/10, followed by Hobson (pop. 160) at 2.9/10 and Windham and Geyser each at 2.7/10. Utica also scores 2.7/10. These communities sit well above the county average and warrant tighter screening criteria and cash-flow buffers for any rental operation.

At the other end, the county seat of Stanford (pop. 268, the largest city in the county) posts the lowest score at 1.7/10, making it the most landlord-friendly market in Judith Basin County by a clear margin. Coffee Creek comes in at 2.0/10 and Raynesford at 2.1/10, both meaningfully below the county average. The gap between Stanford's 1.7 and Denton's 3.2 underscores how hyper-local risk can be even within a small, rural county.

State-level laws that apply here

All Montana residential tenancies, including those in Judith Basin County, fall under MCA § 70-24 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). For non-payment of rent or a curable lease violation, the required notice is 3 days. A no-cause termination at end of term requires 30 days notice. Once a case is filed, an uncontested eviction typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; a contested matter can run 45 to 120 days. Understanding the Montana eviction laws eviction process in full detail is worth the time before your first filing. Total out-of-pocket costs depend on how far a case goes: court filing fees range from $90 to $170, sheriff lockout fees from $40 to $125, and attorney fees from $500 to $2,500. Montana eviction costs at the high end can therefore approach $2,795 (filing + sheriff + attorney maximums), so pricing units to sustain occasional vacancy or legal action is prudent financial planning.

Montana eviction laws state law prohibits local rent-control ordinances, and no just-cause requirement applies to end a tenancy, giving landlords relatively flexible lease terms. Landlords must give tenants 24 hours notice before entry under MCA § 70-24-303. Montana security deposit limits are set at the state level as well; review those rules before collecting deposits on any new lease.

With a county-wide poverty rate of 15.4% and only 24.7% of households renting, Judith Basin County's rental market is small and credit-sensitive; review the city-by-city scores in the grid above to identify which communities within the county match your risk tolerance before placing a property.