Stillwater County, Montana Eviction Risk: Very Low

Stillwater County carries an average eviction-risk score of 1.5/10 (Low), placing it among the least operationally demanding rental markets in Montana eviction laws. Ranked 51st of 56 counties statewide, it sits in the lower-risk third of the state, meaning 50 Montana eviction laws counties post higher risk scores and only 5 rank as more landlord-friendly. For investors weighing where to deploy capital, that combination of low eviction pressure, a 22.3% average rent burden, and an average rent of $990 signals a market where tenants generally stay current.

Across the county's 8 cities, scores span a narrow band from 1.2 to 1.8, which reflects genuine variation in local conditions even within an overall low-risk picture. The county's total population of roughly 4,049 makes this a small, tight-knit market where vacancy turnover is modest and tenant pools are limited, so screening quality matters more, not less.

The cities inside Stillwater County

The highest-risk location in the county is Fishtail, scoring 1.8/10, followed by Columbus and Absarokee, both at 1.6/10. Columbus is the county seat and by far the largest community, with a population of 2,003, while Absarokee has a population of 926. At those scores, risk remains low in absolute terms, but landlords in Columbus and Absarokee should expect a slightly more active compliance environment than in the rest of the county.

On the lower-risk end, Roscoe scores 1.2/10, and Park City, Reed Point, and Luther each score 1.3/10. Park City, with a population of 764, is the third-largest community and offers one of the quieter operating environments in the county. The 0.6-point spread from Roscoe to Fishtail is a reminder that risk is hyper-local, and evaluating individual cities rather than the county average gives landlords a sharper picture before committing to a property.

State-level laws that apply here

Every rental in Stillwater County operates under Montana eviction laws state law, specifically MCA § 70-24 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). For non-payment of rent or a lease violation subject to cure, landlords must serve a 3-day notice before filing; ending a tenancy without cause requires a 30-day notice. Montana eviction laws does not require just cause for most terminations, and state law preempts any local rent control, so no city within Stillwater County can impose rent caps. Understanding the Montana eviction laws eviction process in detail is worthwhile before a dispute arises, because an uncontested case still runs 21 to 45 days from filing to resolution, and a contested matter can stretch 45 to 120 days.

On the cost side, the Montana eviction costs landlords face include a court filing fee of $90 to $170, a sheriff lockout fee of $40 to $125, and attorney fees that typically range from $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity. Landlords must also give tenants 24 hours notice before entering a unit, per MCA § 70-24-303. Source-of-income discrimination is not a protected class under current Montana law, giving landlords flexibility that is absent in many other states.

With an average poverty rate of 11.6% and a renter share of 23.9% of households, Stillwater County's rental market is small but stable; review the city grid above to see how individual communities within the county compare before making a site-specific investment decision.