Wasco County, Oregon Eviction Risk: Elevated

Wasco County, Oregon eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 6.5/10 (Elevated), placing it 15th riskiest among Oregon's 36 counties. Fourteen counties are riskier, and 21 are more landlord-friendly, putting Wasco in the middle third of the state. For landlords and investors, that average tells only part of the story: individual cities inside the county range from 5.1 to 7/10, a spread of nearly two full points that can meaningfully change underwriting assumptions from one market to the next.

With a county-wide average rent of $1,018 and a rent-burden rate of 30.3%, a notable share of tenants here is already stretched financially. That dynamic, combined with Oregon eviction laws's tenant-protective statutes, means landlords should price in the realistic cost and timeline of an eviction before acquiring assets in this region.

The cities inside Wasco County

The dominant market is The Dalles, home to roughly 15,917 of the county's 19,119 residents and carrying the county's highest risk score at 7/10. It is the city most landlords encounter first, and it accounts for the bulk of rental activity countywide. Close behind it is Mosier at 6.7/10, a smaller community of 714 residents where the rental pool is thin and individual-tenant risk concentrates quickly.

Risk drops materially once you move into the county's smaller communities. Tygh Valley scores 6.3/10, Dufur comes in at 6/10 with a population of 952, and Pine Hollow sits at 5.7/10. The lowest-risk market in the county is Maupin at 5.1/10, a full 1.9 points below The Dalles. For investors comparing submarkets, that gap is substantial enough to warrant separate due diligence for each community rather than treating Wasco County as a uniform market.

State-level laws that apply here

Every lease in Wasco County operates under Oregon eviction laws's residential landlord-tenant framework. On nonpayment, landlords must serve a 14-day notice before filing (ORS 90.394). A material, non-curable violation requires a 3-day notice (ORS 90.396). No-cause terminations during a tenant's first year require 30 days notice, while landlord-based no-fault exits after the first year require 90 days (ORS 90.427). Oregon eviction laws state law mandates just-cause for most terminations after the first year of tenancy, and rent increases are capped at 7% plus CPI, with a 10% ceiling. Landlords must give 24 hours notice before entering a unit. Reviewing the full Oregon eviction laws eviction process before acquiring rentals here is essential, because these statutory timelines drive real holding costs.

On the cost side, court filing fees run $165 to $275, sheriff lockout fees add $50 to $175, and attorney fees typically fall between $750 and $3,500 depending on complexity. An uncontested case can resolve in 30 to 60 days; a contested case stretches to 60 to 150 days. Oregon eviction costs therefore vary widely based on whether a tenant disputes the action. Landlords who budget only for the uncontested scenario routinely underestimate exposure on contested files.

Roughly 33.9% of Wasco County residents rent rather than own, and the county's 11.1% poverty rate signals that a meaningful share of that renter base has limited financial cushion; review the city grid above to compare scores across all 9 communities before committing to a specific submarket.