Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from county average, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
39.3%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Ames Lake, WA, tenants prevail in roughly 39.3% 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
149d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Ames Lake, WA until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 149 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$8.1–21.8k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Ames Lake, WA costs landlords $8,102 to $21,756 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$2,433
28% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Ames Lake, WA is $2,433 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 28% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
1.1%
of households
1.1% of occupied housing units in Ames Lake, WA 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
0.8%
4.1% unemp.
0.8% of Ames Lake, WA residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 4.1%. 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
Dem margin +51.7% (2024)
7.9
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
7.9
State political climate
Washington legislature & governorship
6.0
Economic stress
0.8% poverty · 4.1% unemp.
3.8
Supply constraint
$2,433 average · 1.1% renters
2.0
Rent Control risk
28.4% of income on rent
5.0
Eviction process difficulty
149 days filing → judgment
6.2
Tenant organizing strength
1.1% renters
2.0
Housing court bias
County bench composition
4.3
Geographic context
Risk heat across Ames Lake and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Ames Lake compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in King County
Elevated
#23of 60 cities
#23 of 60 cities in King County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Washington
High
#137of 637 cities
#137 of 637 cities in Washington for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
6.9
/ 10 · ELEVATED
The verdict
A Elevated-tier market.
Composite 6.9/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a sharp climb.
50-yr trend+4.5 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steepening since 2010 · COVID inflection visible
149d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $2,433/mo. A contested eviction takes 149 days and costs $8,102–$21,756 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
1.1%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 1,245 residents, 1.1% rent. 28% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 0.8% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
7.9
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 7.9 and 7.9 (Dem margin +51.7% (2024)). State climate at 6, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
6
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 6/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 6.2, housing court bias 4.3, rent-control risk 5. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +1.2 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
3.8
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 3.8. Supply constraint: 2. The numbers behind those: 0.8% poverty, 4.1% unemployment, 28% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Ames Lake sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Ames Lake · 149d · ~$14.9k all-in ($100/day) · score 6.9National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Ames Lake, Washington, presents an elevated-friction market where documented notices and proactive screening matter. The Eviction Risk Score is 6.9/10 (ELEVATED 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 Elevated-friction market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Ames Lake is a city of 1,245 residents where 1.1% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 28.4% of income on rent. At an average rent of $2,433/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 Ames Lake eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 6.2/10, 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 Ames Lake closes 149 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 Ames Lake's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 4.3/10 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 Ames Lake runs $8,102 to $21,756 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 149 days of typical timeline and $2,433/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 2/10 in Ames Lake, and the city has limited rent control exposure (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 Washington, 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 Ames Lake: 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 ELEVATED 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 Washington's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $21,756 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Ames Lake
Trap · D+52.7
Ames Lake reflects the demographic and political composition of King County, with eviction procedure governed at the state level. King County 2020 margin: D+52.7.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What is the most common mistake landlords make in Ames Lake?
The most common mistake is failing to understand or properly follow the just-cause eviction requirements. Many landlords assume they can end a lease simply because they want the tenant out, or they try to use an invalid notice period. This leads to dismissed cases, wasted time, and significant legal fees.
Q2
Can I charge an application fee in Ames Lake?
Yes, you can charge an application fee to cover the actual costs of screening, such as background checks and credit reports. However, you cannot charge an excessive fee designed to make a profit. Be transparent about what the fee covers.
Q3
Do I have to accept a tenant with a housing voucher?
Yes, Washington has statewide source-of-income protection. You cannot discriminate against tenants based on their use of housing assistance, such as Section 8 vouchers. You must apply the same screening criteria to all applicants, regardless of their income source.
Q4
What if my tenant damages the property beyond normal wear and tear?
You can deduct the cost of repairing damages beyond normal wear and tear from the security deposit. You must provide an itemized statement of deductions within 21 days of the tenant moving out. Keep detailed records and photos of the damage to support your claims.
Q5
Is rent control a risk in Ames Lake?
Washington has a statewide ban on rent control, but there's always legislative pressure to change that. While Ames Lake currently doesn't have rent control, the "rent-control-risk" sub-score for the state is $1/10, indicating a moderate level of political pressure. Keep an eye on state legislation. Our Washington rent control rules page provides more context.
Q6
How quickly can I get a tenant out if they stop paying rent?
Even for non-payment, the process is lengthy. After serving a 14-day notice, and if the tenant doesn't pay or move, you're looking at a court process that typically takes 149 days in total from start to finish. There are no shortcuts in Ames Lake or King County.
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Ames Lake, WA Eviction Risk 4.5/10: Landlord Playbook
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Ames Lake, WA landlords face a 4.5/10 eviction risk. Expect 14-day notices and 149-day evictions. Costs $8,102-$21,756. Get the practical playbook.
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Ames Lake, Washington might seem like a quiet corner of King County, but don't let the population of 1,245 fool you. Being a landlord here means operating under some of the most tenant-protective laws in the country. This isn't a market where you can afford to be casual about your lease agreements or tenant screening. The data shows Ames Lake carries an eviction risk score of 4.5/10, placing it in the moderate tier. That score is heavily influenced by Washington's statewide just-cause eviction requirements and a challenging court process. For the everyday landlord, this means you need to be precise and prepared.
This isn't Houston with its fast evictions. This isn't even rural Washington. King County, and by extension Ames Lake, operates under the state's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW § 59.18), which has been significantly strengthened in favor of tenants. Your eviction process here will likely be lengthy and expensive if you make a mistake. The key to success in Ames Lake is avoiding eviction altogether through meticulous screening and clear communication, but if you do find yourself needing to remove a tenant, understanding the exact steps is critical. Forget the "easy button", there isn't one here.
A 6.9/10 places Ames Lake in the 79th percentile of Washington 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 risen sharply 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 Ames Lake (6.9/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
