Sheridan County, Montana Eviction Risk: Very Low

Sheridan County, Montana scores 2/10 (Low risk) across its 9 mapped cities, placing it squarely in the middle third of Montana's 56 counties, with 27 counties carrying higher risk and 28 sitting at lower risk. For landlords and investors, that middle-third position means conditions are workable but not uniformly frictionless: the county average rent of $663 and an average rent burden of 30.6% suggest tenants here are spending a meaningful share of income on housing, which can contribute to occasional payment stress even in a broadly low-risk market.

The intra-county score range runs from 1.7 to 2.2, a narrow but real spread across a total population of 2,656. About 27.9% of residents rent, which is a thin renter pool by any measure, and that limited rental demand shapes both the upside and the downside for operators here. Low vacancy pressure cuts both ways: stable tenants tend to stay, but re-leasing after a vacancy can take time in a market this small.

The cities inside Sheridan County

At the higher end of the county's risk range, Westby scores 2.2/10 (population 290) and Froid scores 2.1/10 (population 324). Neither figure represents elevated risk in any absolute sense, but these two towns do carry the most friction within the county and warrant a closer look at local rental demand before committing capital. Medicine Lake comes in at 2/10 (population 213), sitting exactly at the county average.

On the lower-risk end, Homestead scores 1.7/10, while Outlook and Reserve each score 1.8/10. The county seat, Plentywood, is the largest city with a population of 1,654 and scores 1.9/10, making it the most practical market for scale given its size, even if it sits slightly above the county's lowest-risk cities. The gap between Westby at 2.2 and Homestead at 1.7 is a clear reminder that risk is hyper-local, and a single county average can obscure meaningful differences at the city level.

State-level laws that apply here

Every rental in Sheridan County operates under Montana state law, specifically the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (MCA § 70-24). For non-payment of rent or a lease violation, Montana requires only a 3-day notice before filing. A no-cause termination at the end of a lease term requires 30 days notice. Montana does not require just cause for non-renewal, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, meaning landlords here face no local cap on rents. Understanding the Montana eviction process is straightforward compared to many states: an uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 45 days, while a contested matter can run 45 to 120 days.

Montana eviction costs are the more variable factor. Court filing fees run $90 to $170, sheriff lockout fees add $40 to $125, and attorney fees, if retained, range from $500 to $2,500. Landlords should budget for the attorney-fee range in any contested case, as it dwarfs the court and sheriff components. Montana requires 24 hours notice before entering a unit (MCA § 70-24-303), and retaliation against tenants for exercising legal rights is prohibited under MCA § 70-24-431.

With an average poverty rate of 11.5% and roughly 27.9% of residents renting, Sheridan County's rental market is small and concentrated; the city-level scores in the grid above show where that modest risk is distributed across the county's 9 cities.