Ravalli County, Montana Eviction Risk: Very Low

Ravalli County earns an average eviction-risk score of 2.3/10 (Low) across 10 tracked cities, placing it at rank 15 of 56 Montana counties. That ranking means 14 counties in the state carry higher risk, while 41 are less risky, positioning Ravalli in the higher-risk third of Montana overall. For a county labeled Low, that context matters: conditions are manageable, but landlords here should not treat the Low designation as a signal to drop their guard.

The intra-county spread runs from 1.6 to 2.6 out of 10, a full point of variation across communities sharing the same Bitterroot Valley geography. Average rent across the county sits at $1,030, with an average rent burden of 26.5% of household income and a renter share of 38.8% of occupied units. Those figures point to a renter base that is financially stretched but not severely so, which generally correlates with the modest distress levels the scores reflect.

The cities inside Ravalli County

The highest-risk location in the county is Darby, scoring 2.6/10 with a population of 527. It is a small market where a single distressed tenant situation can have an outsized impact on a landlord's portfolio. Hamilton, the county seat and largest city at 5,101 residents, comes in at 2.4/10, as does Victor (867 residents, 2.4/10). Corvallis and Pinesdale each score 2.3/10, while Stevensville (2,130 residents) and Florence both sit at 2.2/10.

At the lower end of the range, Charlos Heights scores 1.8/10, the most landlord-favorable reading in the county. The one-point spread between Darby and Charlos Heights is a reminder that risk is hyper-local: two properties separated by a short Bitterroot Valley drive can sit in meaningfully different risk environments. Investors should evaluate each city independently rather than relying solely on the county average.

State-level laws that apply here

All Ravalli County landlords operate under Montana state law, specifically MCA § 70-24 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). For non-payment of rent or a lease violation, Montana requires only a 3-day notice to pay or cure. A no-cause termination at the end of a lease term requires 30 days notice. Montana does not require just cause for eviction and the state preempts any local rent-control ordinance, meaning no city inside Ravalli County can impose rent caps. Understanding the full Montana eviction process, from notice through judgment, is essential before placing a tenant.

When an eviction does proceed to court, landlords should budget carefully. Court filing fees run $90 to $170, sheriff lockout fees add another $40 to $125, and attorney fees range from $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity. An uncontested case resolves in roughly 21 to 45 days; a contested matter can stretch to 45 to 120 days. Montana eviction costs are real even in a low-risk county, and those ranges should factor into any underwriting model.

With an average poverty rate of 11.5% and roughly 38.8% of households renting, Ravalli County presents a moderately exposed renter base; the city-by-city scores in the grid above give the clearest picture of where within the county that exposure is concentrated.