In court-decided eviction outcomes for Marty, SD, tenants prevail in roughly 15.6% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
18d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Marty, SD until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 18 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$0.7–2.8k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Marty, SD costs landlords $712 to $2,751 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$537
31% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Marty, SD is $537 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 31% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
79.4%
of households
79.4% of occupied housing units in Marty, SD are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
59.9%
44.3% unemp.
59.9% of Marty, SD residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 44.3%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
GOP margin +42.9% (2024)
3.9
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
3.9
State political climate
South Dakota legislature & governorship
1.5
Economic stress
59.9% poverty · 44.3% unemp.
9.9
Supply constraint
$537 average · 79.4% renters
5.4
Rent Control risk
30.8% of income on rent
2.5
Eviction process difficulty
18 days filing → judgment
1.3
Tenant organizing strength
79.4% renters
9.6
Housing court bias
County bench composition
6.2
Geographic context
Risk heat across Marty and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Marty compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Charles Mix County
Very High
#1of 10 cities
#1 of 10 cities in Charles Mix County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in South Dakota
Very High
#23of 484 cities
#23 of 484 cities in South Dakota for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
2.6
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 2.6/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+0.0 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
18d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $537/mo. A contested eviction takes 18 days and costs $712–$2,751 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
79.4%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 305 residents, 79.4% rent. 31% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 59.9% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
3.9
Local + regional
The politics
Light-statute interior market.
Local & regional political climate score 3.9 and 3.9 (GOP margin +42.9% (2024)). State climate at 1.5, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
1.5
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 1.5/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 1.3, housing court bias 6.2, rent-control risk 2.5. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.7 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
9.9
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the real risk.
Economic stress: 9.9. Supply constraint: 5.4. The numbers behind those: 59.9% poverty, 44.3% unemployment, 31% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Marty sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Marty · 18d · ~$1.7k all-in ($96/day) · score 2.6National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Marty, South Dakota, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 2.6/10 (LOW tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Marty is a city of 305 residents where 79.4% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 30.8% of income on rent. At an average rent of $537/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Marty eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 1.3/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Marty closes 18 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Marty's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 6.2/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Marty runs $712 to $2,751 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 18 days of typical timeline and $537/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 9.6/10 in Marty, and the city has limited rent control exposure (2.5/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In South Dakota, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Marty: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a LOW tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match South Dakota's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $2,751 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Marty
Trap · PRACTICAL TRAP
Cost-versus-timeline trade-off: at 18 days and roughly $2,751 on the high end, cash-for-keys at $1,100 to $1,650 typically beats the legal route for non-aggravated cases. Default judgment frequency is high under SDCL 21-16.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my Marty tenant just disappears?
If your tenant abandons the property in Marty, South Dakota, without formally terminating the lease, you still need to follow a legal process. Document everything: take photos, try to contact them. After a certain period (often tied to how long rent has been unpaid), you can typically post a notice of abandonment and, if they don't respond, legally repossess the property. However, it's always safest to consult with an attorney to ensure you don't violate any tenant rights.
Q2
Can I charge late fees in Marty?
Yes, you can charge late fees in Marty, SD. South Dakota law allows for reasonable late fees, but it doesn't specify an exact amount. Make sure your late fee amount is clearly stated in your lease agreement and is not excessive. A common practice is a flat fee or a small percentage of the monthly rent.
Q3
Do I need an attorney for an eviction in Marty?
You are not legally required to have an attorney for an eviction in Marty or anywhere in South Dakota. You can represent yourself in court. However, given the legal complexities and potential for costly mistakes, especially if the tenant contests the eviction, many landlords find it beneficial to hire an experienced attorney. It can save you time, stress, and money.
Q4
What's the best way to screen tenants in Marty given the high economic stress?
Beyond credit checks and background checks, focus heavily on income verification and landlord references. Ask for pay stubs, employment verification, and speak directly with previous landlords about payment history and property care. With high economic stress (9.9/10 sub-score), prioritize tenants with stable, verifiable income sources and a history of on-time rent payments. Consider a higher security deposit if allowed and reasonable.
Q5
Is there any rent control in Marty, SD?
No, there is no rent control in Marty, South Dakota. South Dakota has no statewide rent control laws, and no local ordinances in Marty impose rent control. This means you are generally free to set your rental prices and adjust them with proper notice as per your lease agreement. You can learn more about South Dakota tenant protections here.
A 2.6/10 places Marty in the 97th percentile of South Dakota cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has climbed steadily since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Cities with similar eviction risk to Marty (2.6/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.