In court-decided eviction outcomes for Steilacoom, WA, tenants prevail in roughly 43.3% 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
167d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Steilacoom, WA until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 167 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$6.9–18.8k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Steilacoom, WA costs landlords $6,894 to $18,816 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,818
32% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Steilacoom, WA is $1,818 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 32% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
37.2%
of households
37.2% of occupied housing units in Steilacoom, 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
11.0%
5.5% unemp.
11.0% of Steilacoom, WA residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 5.5%. 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 +10.8% (2024)
6.3
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
6.3
State political climate
Washington legislature & governorship
6.0
Economic stress
11.0% poverty · 5.5% unemp.
6.3
Supply constraint
$1,818 average · 37.2% renters
8.1
Rent Control risk
32.2% of income on rent
7.5
Eviction process difficulty
167 days filing → judgment
5.9
Tenant organizing strength
37.2% renters
7.4
Housing court bias
County bench composition
6.5
Geographic context
Risk heat across Steilacoom and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Steilacoom compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Pierce County
High
#9of 60 cities
#9 of 60 cities in Pierce County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Washington
High
#74of 637 cities
#74 of 637 cities in Washington for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
7.1
/ 10 · HIGH
The verdict
A High-tier market.
Composite 7.1/10. High statutory friction with active tenant counsel, so assume defenses on every filing. The 50-year curve shows a sharp climb.
50-yr trend+4.7 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steepening since 2010 · COVID inflection visible
167d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $1,818/mo. A contested eviction takes 167 days and costs $6,894–$18,816 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
37.2%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 6,686 residents, 37.2% rent. 32% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 11.0% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
6.3
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 6.3 and 6.3 (Dem margin +10.8% (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 5.9, housing court bias 6.5, rent-control risk 7.5. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +0.9 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
6.3
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 6.3. Supply constraint: 8.1. The numbers behind those: 11.0% poverty, 5.5% unemployment, 32% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Steilacoom sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Steilacoom · 167d · ~$12.9k all-in ($77/day) · score 7.1National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Steilacoom, Washington, presents a high-friction environment where attorney involvement on every filing is the norm. The Eviction Risk Score is 7.1/10 (HIGH 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 High-friction landlord market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Steilacoom is a city of 6,686 residents where 37.2% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 32.2% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,818/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 Steilacoom eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 5.9/10, 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 Steilacoom closes 167 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 Steilacoom's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 6.5/10 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 Steilacoom runs $6,894 to $18,816 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 167 days of typical timeline and $1,818/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 7.4/10 in Steilacoom, and the city carries meaningful rent control exposure (7.5/10). 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 Steilacoom: 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 HIGH 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 $18,816 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Steilacoom
Trap · PRACTICAL TRAP
Compare Steilacoom to neighboring cities in Thurston County via the grid below. The 5.4/10 score is computed from nine sub-factors plus a state-law multiplier under HB 1236 + RCW 59.18. Thurston County 2020 presidential margin: D+18.6. Cross-reference the state overview link in the guides section for Washington statutory detail.
04Eviction filings
Live filings tracking · Eviction Lab
Princeton Eviction Lab Tracking System, county-level. Last update 2026-05-01.
In the most recent month, 328 eviction cases were filed across the tracker's coverage area, 1.40× the historical baseline (above baseline). Past 12 months: 3,573 filings. Pandemic-era cumulative: 13,911.
328Past month
3,573Past 12 months
1.40×vs baseline (past mo)
10.6%Repeat-tenant filings
Notice requirement: at least 14 days notice. Filing fee: $250 filing fee.
Last 36 months of filings2023-05-01 – 2026-04-01
Filings climbed 12% over the past 12 months.
Source: Eviction Lab Tracking System, Princeton University. Open Data Commons Attribution license.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What is the biggest risk for landlords in Steilacoom?
The biggest risk is the combination of Washington's statewide just-cause eviction requirement and the lengthy, expensive eviction process. A high sub-score for tenant organizing strength (7.4/10) also indicates tenants are often well-informed of their rights and may seek legal aid, prolonging cases.
Q2
Can I charge whatever I want for a security deposit in Steilacoom?
No. Washington state law caps security deposits at one month's rent. You also have a strict 21-day deadline to return the deposit or provide an itemized statement of deductions after a tenant moves out.
Q3
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Steilacoom?
While not legally required to file, it is highly recommended. Washington's eviction laws (RCW § 59.18) are complex, and procedural errors can lead to significant delays and costs. Given the average 167-day timeline and $6,894, $18,816 cost, an experienced attorney is a sound investment.
Q4
What if a tenant damages my property? Does that count as "just cause" for eviction?
Significant property damage can be a just cause for eviction in Washington, but you must follow specific notice procedures. Typically, you'd issue a notice to cure or quit, giving the tenant a chance to fix the damage. If they don't, you can proceed with an eviction filing. Document all damage thoroughly with photos and written reports.
Q5
Is "cash for keys" a legal option in Steilacoom?
Yes, "cash for keys" is a legal and often recommended strategy in Washington. It's a voluntary agreement where you pay a tenant a sum of money to vacate the property quickly and peacefully, in exchange for signing a mutual termination agreement. This can save you months of lost rent and legal fees compared to a formal eviction.
A 7.1/10 places Steilacoom in the 94th 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 Steilacoom (7.1/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
