Phelps County, Nebraska Eviction Risk: Low

Phelps County sits in the south-central Nebraska plains, anchored by the agricultural hub of Holdrege and five small rural communities. For landlords operating here, the county's 2.6/10 eviction risk score (Low) reflects a legal environment that is largely predictable under Nebraska eviction laws's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1401 et seq. The county ranks 34th out of 93 Nebraska counties by risk, placing it in the middle segment of the state - meaning 33 counties carry higher risk and 59 are less risky. Scores across Phelps County's six municipalities run from 2.3 to 2.7, a narrow spread that reflects the county's uniformly rural, low-density character.

Holdrege eviction risk (population 5,546) accounts for roughly 77% of the county's 7,154 residents and is the only city with a material rental market. At 2.7/10, Holdrege sits at the high end of the county's range, driven primarily by its relatively higher renter concentration compared to the surrounding villages. Bertrand (2.4/10, pop. 718), Loomis (2.4/10, pop. 375), Funk (2.4/10, pop. 244), Odessa (2.4/10, pop. 138), and Atlanta (2.3/10, pop. 133) all score toward the lower end - small landlord inventories, tight community networks, and limited court activity combine to keep risk at the floor in these villages. The county's average rent of $837/month and a rent burden of 29.1% among renters are both moderate by Nebraska standards, indicating that tenants are not systematically squeezed to the point that drives high filing rates in urban counties.

Nebraska preempts local rent control statewide, so no Phelps County municipality can impose its own caps or just-cause eviction requirements - landlords operate under a single, uniform ruleset. The state does not include source of income as a protected class, which is relevant for screening decisions. Landlord entry requires 24 hours' written notice under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1419, and retaliation protections for tenants are codified at Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1439. With a poverty rate of 15.6% across the county, landlords should build realistic collection reserves - but the low filing costs ($85-$200 to file, $40-$150 for sheriff lockout) and a relatively fast uncontested timeline of 21-45 days keep the process manageable when it becomes necessary.

Phelps County's Low risk profile reflects stable agricultural employment, a small but steady renter population concentrated in Holdrege eviction risk, and a straightforward state eviction framework with no local overlay. The county average of 2.6/10 compares favorably to the Nebraska state average of 2.9/10, and the narrow 2.3-2.7 spread across its cities signals that risk does not spike dramatically from one community to the next.