6 incorporated cities and unincorporated areas. The county Eviction Risk Score is held aloft by the city of Red Cloud (3.4) and a small number of dense urban cores. Rent-control coverage varies by city.
In 2026
Risk score
3.3
LOW
Ranked #48 of 93 NE counties
2k residents · 6 cities · 2 tracts
1976–2026 · pop-weighted from cities
Webster County eviction risk score history
Min1.9Average2.9Now3.3
197619861996200620162026
Key metrics
Tenant beats landlord
14.9%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Webster County, NE, tenants prevail in roughly 14.9% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses and longer calendars.
Timeline
30d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Webster County, NE until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 30 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent for landlords.
Cost range
$1.1–2.8k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Webster County, NE costs landlords $1,076 to $2,752 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent.
Average rent
$689
22% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Webster County, NE is $689 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey. 22% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent.
Renters
25.4%
of households
25.4% of occupied housing units in Webster County, NE are renter-occupied. A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings and a more active rental market.
Poverty
12.8%
1.1% unemp.
12.8% of Webster County, NE residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 1.1%. Both feed the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Webster County scores 3.3/10 (Low), below the Nebraska average of 3.6/10. Local scores range from 3.1 to 3.4/10 across 6 cities. Ranked 48th of 93 Nebraska counties by eviction risk - placing Webster County in the middle of the state.
How Webster County ranks in Nebraska
Lower number means more extreme, where #1 is the most
Eviction Risk Score
Moderate
#48of 93 NE counties3.3 / 10
#48 of 93 counties in Nebraska for landlord eviction risk.
Cost of living
Low
#41of 51 states (statewide)90.1 index
Nebraska ranks #41 of 51 states on overall cost of living (9.9% cheaper than the U.S. avg).
Housing services cost
Low
#35of 51 states (statewide)75.2 index
Nebraska ranks #35 of 51 states on housing services (24.8% cheaper than the U.S. avg).
Income spent on rent
Low
#70of 93 NE counties21.8% of income
#70 of 93 counties in Nebraska on % of income spent on rent.
Webster County sits in the lower-risk third of Nebraska eviction laws's 93 counties, carrying an overall eviction risk of 3.3/10 (Low) and ranking 48th of 93 statewide - meaning 63 counties present a more challenging landlord environment and only 29 are less risky. With a total population of roughly 2,217 and an average asking rent around $689 per month, this is one of south-central Nebraska eviction laws's most sparsely settled counties: renters make up only about 25.4% of households, and the average rent burden sits at 21.8% of income - well below the 30% threshold that typically correlates with payment stress and eviction exposure.
Risk is not uniform across Webster County's six incorporated places. Guide Rock carries the highest local score at 3.1/10, a full spread above the county floor. Blue Hill, the county's second-largest community at 782 residents, scores 3.4/10 - matching the county average precisely. Red Cloud, the county seat at 934 people, scores 3.4/10, while the smaller communities of Inavale (41 residents) and Bladen (166 residents) come in at 3.1/10 and 3.1/10 respectively. Cowles, the county's smallest place with only 8 residents, scores 3.2/10 at the county floor. The spread from 3.1 to 3.4/10 is narrow by Nebraska eviction laws standards, reflecting the county's consistent low-density, low-rent character across communities of very different sizes.
Nebraska eviction laws's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1401 et seq.) governs all landlord-tenant relationships statewide, giving Webster County landlords a clear, landlord-lean statutory foundation. Non-payment of rent triggers a 7-day pay-or-quit notice; lease violations require a 14-day cure notice; and month-to-month tenancies end with 30 days written notice. Landlords must give at least 24 hours notice before entering a unit (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1419), except in genuine emergencies. Court filing fees run $85-$200 depending on the district court's schedule, and uncontested cases typically resolve in 21 to 45 days - faster than the Nebraska eviction laws average in higher-density urban counties. Nebraska eviction laws preempts all local rent control ordinances, and no municipality in Webster County has enacted any tenant-protection measures beyond the state floor, so there is no patchwork of local rules to navigate.
Webster County's Low risk rating of 3.3/10 reflects a combination of low rent burden (21.8%), a modest renter share (25.4% of households), a sparse population base of 2,217 residents, and Nebraska eviction laws's landlord-favorable statutory framework - including no just-cause eviction requirement and no source-of-income protections. The county scores noticeably below the Nebraska eviction laws statewide average of 3.6/10, reinforcing its position as one of the state's more landlord-accessible rural markets.
This county profile was prepared by the Eviction Risk Map research team, drawing on U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data, Nebraska eviction laws court filing statistics, and state statutory review of Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1401 et seq. last updated May 2026. Risk scores reflect a composite model documented in full on the ERM methodology page; all figures are recalculated each model cycle and displayed as live values on this page.
Historical eviction filings in Webster County
From 2000 to 2016, eviction filings in Webster County increased.
The peak was 6 filings in 2016.1
02000
6Peak (2016)
62016
Annual filings 2000–2016No filing data published after 2018
Data covers 2000–2018, the full span of the Princeton Eviction Lab's national county court-records dataset.
How Webster County compares
Webster County's 3.3/10 Low rating lands it firmly below the Nebraska statewide average of 3.6/10, and the gap is consistent when measured against neighboring rural counties. Harlan County to the east, Hitchcock County to the south, and Furnas County to the northeast all score in a similar range - none of Webster County's peer counties show materially different risk profiles, which reflects the shared characteristics of south-central Nebraska eviction laws's rural rental market: low renter shares, low average rents, and minimal local tenant-protection ordinances layered on the same statewide statutory baseline.
Peer counties in Nebraska
Same state, closest by population and Eviction Risk Score
What is the current eviction risk score for Webster County, Nebraska?
Webster County currently scores 3.3/10, placing it in the Low risk tier and ranking 48th out of 93 Nebraska counties. Scores across the county's six cities range from 3.1 to 3.4/10.
Q2
How long does an eviction take in Webster County?
Under Nebraska law (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-1401 et seq.), the minimum notice period for non-payment of rent is 7 days. After filing, uncontested eviction cases in Webster County typically resolve in 21 to 45 days. Contested cases, where the tenant appears and disputes the claim, can extend to 45 to 100 days depending on court scheduling.
Q3
What does it cost to file an eviction in Webster County?
Court filing fees in Nebraska eviction laws range from $85 to $200 depending on the district court. Sheriff lockout fees add another $40 to $150. If the case is contested and you retain an attorney, legal fees typically run $500 to $2,500, though straightforward uncontested filings are often handled without counsel in this county.
Q4
Is there rent control in Webster County or anywhere in Nebraska?
No. Nebraska eviction laws state law preempts all local rent control ordinances, so no city or county in the state - including Webster County - may cap rent increases. Landlords are free to set and adjust rents between tenancies without statutory limits.
Q5
Which city in Webster County has the highest eviction risk score?
Guide Rock carries the highest eviction risk score in the county at 3.1/10. Blue Hill follows at 3.4/10, while Red Cloud scores 3.4/10. Bladen and Cowles both score at the county floor of 3.1/10.
Q6
How does Webster County's eviction risk compare to Nebraska overall?
Webster County scores 3.3/10, which is below the Nebraska statewide average of 3.6/10. The county ranks 48th of 93, putting it in the middle of Nebraska eviction laws counties by eviction risk - meaning most of the state presents a more challenging environment for landlords than Webster County does.