Meagher County, Montana Eviction Risk: Very Low

Meagher County, Montana eviction laws earns an average eviction-risk score of 1.5/10, placing it firmly in the Low risk tier and ranking 52nd out of 56 Montana counties, meaning 51 counties carry higher risk than Meagher. For landlords and investors, that standing translates to a genuinely stable operating environment: rent burden averages just 13.5% of income, tenants in the county's 4 tracked cities hold renter shares around 22.4%, and a poverty rate of 9.6% keeps delinquency pressure relatively contained. Average asking rent sits at $1,315, reflecting a modest but real rental market.

Scores across the county range from 1.5 to 2.3, a spread that is worth noting even in a low-risk county. With a total population of roughly 1,035, the absolute number of rental units here is small, which can cut both ways: fewer bad actors, but also a thinner applicant pool when a unit turns over. Investors already active in Montana's rural corridor will recognize the profile.

The cities inside Meagher County

The county seat, White Sulphur Springs, accounts for the bulk of the population at 957 residents and scores 1.5/10, matching the county average exactly. It is the most stable market in Meagher County for buy-and-hold landlords. At the other end of the spectrum sits Monarch, a community of 22 people that posts the county's highest score at 2.3/10. While 2.3 remains firmly Low by statewide standards, the gap between Monarch and White Sulphur Springs illustrates how meaningfully risk can vary even within a sparsely populated county.

Springdale Colony (population 17) comes in at 1.8/10 and Neihart (population 39) at 1.7/10, both sitting between the county floor and Monarch's ceiling. Landlords evaluating specific locations should treat each city's score independently rather than relying solely on the county average.

State-level laws that apply here

Every rental in Meagher County operates under Montana state law, specifically MCA § 70-24, the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. For non-payment of rent or a correctable lease violation, the required notice period is just 3 days. A no-cause, end-of-term termination requires 30 days notice. Montana imposes no just-cause eviction requirement statewide, and the state preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so landlords here face a consistent, uniform legal framework from county to county. Understanding the Montana eviction process before a problem arises is strongly advisable: an uncontested case resolves in roughly 21 to 45 days, while a contested filing can run 45 to 120 days.

On the cost side, Montana eviction costs include a court filing fee of $90 to $170, a sheriff lockout fee of $40 to $125, and attorney fees ranging from $500 to $2,500 depending on case complexity. Landlords should require 24-hour entry notice per MCA § 70-24-303, and be aware that retaliation protections for tenants are codified under MCA § 70-24-431. Reviewing Montana security deposit limits and Montana tenant protections before leasing is straightforward compliance that avoids costly disputes later.

With a poverty rate of 9.6% and a renter share of 22.4%, Meagher County's demand pool is small but relatively stable, and the city-by-city breakdown in the grid above shows that White Sulphur Springs carries by far the most liquidity for anyone looking to place or manage rental capital here.