Ellis County, Oklahoma Eviction Risk: Very Low

Ellis County, Oklahoma scores 1.6/10 (Low risk) across its 4 incorporated cities, placing it at rank 72 of 77 Oklahoma eviction laws counties, meaning 71 counties carry higher eviction risk and only 5 are more landlord-friendly. For investors and landlords, that ranking translates to an operating environment where tenant-driven disruption is among the lowest in the state. The county's total population of 2,441 and an average rent of $824 reflect a small, rural market where rental demand is modest but stable, and rent burden sits at a manageable 20.2% of income on average.

The intra-county score range runs from 1.5 to 1.7, a narrow band that signals consistent conditions rather than sharp pockets of elevated risk. With roughly 20.6% of households renting, the landlord base is relatively small, which tends to limit court docket congestion and keep uncontested eviction timelines shorter in practice.

The cities inside Ellis County

The two highest-scoring cities in the county are Arnett (population 525, score 1.7/10) and Gage (population 397, score 1.7/10). Both sit at the top of the local range, though a 1.7 still represents a Low risk classification well below state and national norms. Fargo follows at 1.6/10 (population 307), essentially matching the county average.

Shattuck is the county seat and its largest city, with a population of 1,212 and the lowest risk score in the county at 1.5/10. That means Shattuck, which accounts for roughly half the county's total residents, is also the most landlord-favorable location in Ellis County. Even the highest-risk cities here fall well within territory most investors would consider low-friction. Risk is nonetheless hyper-local: a landlord in Arnett is operating in a measurably different environment than one in Shattuck, and city-level data should drive any acquisition or operational decision.

State-level laws that apply here

All Ellis County landlords operate under 41 O.S. § 101 et seq. (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). For non-payment of rent, Oklahoma eviction laws law requires a 5-day notice before filing; a lease violation that can be cured triggers a 10-day notice; and an end-of-term or no-cause termination requires 30 days. Understanding the Oklahoma eviction laws eviction process is essential before serving any notice, because errors in notice type or timing restart the clock entirely. Oklahoma eviction laws does not require just cause for non-renewal, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance, so no city in Ellis County can impose a rent cap.

On the cost side, court filing fees run $75 to $175, sheriff lockout fees add $40 to $125, and attorney fees range from $500 to $2,500 depending on complexity. An uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 45 days; a contested matter can stretch to 45 to 100 days. A full breakdown of Oklahoma eviction costs, including how those figures compare across the state, is available in the statewide guide. Landlords who want to stay current on allowable deposits and withholding rules should also review Oklahoma security deposit limits before signing new leases.

With a poverty rate of 16.8% and only about one in five households renting, Ellis County's rental market is small, and the city grid above breaks down how each of the 4 cities scores individually, giving landlords the granular view needed to weigh specific acquisitions rather than relying on the county average alone.