Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from constituent census tracts, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
19.7%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Odanah, WI, tenants prevail in roughly 19.7% 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
45d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Odanah, WI until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 45 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$2.1–4.8k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Odanah, WI costs landlords $2,055 to $4,825 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$482
13% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Odanah, WI is $482 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 13% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
26.5%
of households
26.5% of occupied housing units in Odanah, WI 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
9.3%
46.3% unemp.
9.3% of Odanah, WI residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 46.3%. 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
Dem margin +4.7% (2024)
6.0
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
6.0
State political climate
Wisconsin legislature & governorship
2.9
Economic stress
9.3% poverty · 46.3% unemp.
7.4
Supply constraint
$482 average · 26.5% renters
1.0
Rent Control risk
13.3% of income on rent
1.6
Eviction process difficulty
45 days filing → judgment
3.1
Tenant organizing strength
26.5% renters
1.0
Housing court bias
County bench composition
2.1
Geographic context
Risk heat across Odanah and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Odanah compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Ashland County
Very High
#2of 11 cities
#2 of 11 cities in Ashland County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Wisconsin
Very High
#9of 803 cities
#9 of 803 cities in Wisconsin for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
3.5
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 3.5/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+1.4 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
45d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $482/mo. A contested eviction takes 45 days and costs $2,055–$4,825 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
26.5%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 60 residents, 26.5% rent. 13% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 9.3% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
6
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 6 and 6 (Dem margin +4.7% (2024)). State climate at 2.9, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
2.9
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 2.9/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 3.1, housing court bias 2.1, rent-control risk 1.6. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-1.9 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
7.4
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 7.4. Supply constraint: 1. The numbers behind those: 9.3% poverty, 46.3% unemployment, 13% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Odanah sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Odanah · 45d · ~$3.4k all-in ($76/day) · score 3.5National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Odanah, Wisconsin, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 3.5/10 (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.
Odanah is a city of 60 residents where 26.5% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 13.3% of income on rent. At an average rent of $482/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 Odanah eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 3.1/10, 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 Odanah closes 45 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 Odanah's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 2.1/10 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 Odanah runs $2,055 to $4,825 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 45 days of typical timeline and $482/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 1/10 in Odanah, and the city has limited rent control exposure (1.6/10). 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 Wisconsin, 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 Odanah: 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 Wisconsin's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $4,825 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Odanah
Trap · WISCONSIN
Ashland County court applies Wisconsin statute uniformly. Filing fee, notice period, and trial-to-writ timeline are set at the state level. At 3.4/10 local risk, default judgment frequency is typical.
04Eviction filings
Live filings tracking · Eviction Lab
Princeton Eviction Lab Tracking System, state-level (no county tracker available). Last update 2026-05-01.
In the most recent month, 1,980 eviction cases were filed across the tracker's coverage area, 0.90× the historical baseline (below baseline). Past 12 months: 25,794 filings. Pandemic-era cumulative: 145,103.
1,980Past month
25,794Past 12 months
0.90×vs baseline (past mo)
15.2%Repeat-tenant filings
Notice requirement: at least five days notice (in some cases more). Filing fee: $94.50 filing fee.
Last 36 months of filings2023-05-01 – 2026-04-01
Filings dropped 7% over the past 12 months.
Source: Eviction Lab Tracking System, Princeton University. Open Data Commons Attribution license.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
Is it hard to evict a tenant in Odanah, WI?
No, generally not. Odanah, WI, has a low eviction-process-difficulty score (3.1/10). Wisconsin law allows for a quick 5-day pay-or-quit notice for non-payment, and there are no statewide just-cause requirements. This means the legal process itself is relatively straightforward compared to many other states. However, the economic stress score (7.4/10) suggests you might encounter more tenants struggling to pay, potentially increasing the frequency of needing to evict.
Q2
What's the typical timeline for an eviction in Odanah?
From the initial 5-day notice to a potential sheriff lockout, a typical eviction in Odanah takes around 45 days. This is an average; a contested case or court backlog could extend it. Acting quickly after a tenant defaults on rent is crucial to staying close to this timeline.
Q3
How much does an eviction cost in Odanah, WI?
An eviction in Odanah can cost between $2,055 and $4,825. This includes court filing fees, potential attorney fees (which are the largest variable), and lost rent during the eviction period. Sheriff lockout fees are usually a small additional cost. It's a significant expense, so preventative measures like thorough screening are vital.
Q4
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in Odanah?
While you are legally allowed to represent yourself in court for an eviction in Wisconsin, it's often highly recommended to consult or hire an attorney, especially if the tenant contests the eviction or if you are unfamiliar with court procedures. An attorney can ensure all legal steps are followed correctly, preventing costly delays or dismissals due to procedural errors. See our Ashland County eviction guide for more local details.
Q5
Can I keep the security deposit for damages in Odanah?
Yes, you can withhold portions of a security deposit for actual damages beyond normal wear and tear, or for unpaid rent. However, you must return the deposit or provide an itemized statement of deductions within 21 days of the tenant vacating. Failure to comply can result in owing the tenant double the wrongfully withheld amount, plus attorney fees. Review Wisconsin security deposit rules carefully.
Q6
Are there any rent control laws in Odanah, WI?
No, there are no statewide rent control laws in Wisconsin, and thus none specifically in Odanah. This means you generally have the freedom to set and adjust rent prices, provided you give proper notice for increases as outlined in your lease agreement. While rent control risk is low (1.6/10), always be aware of broader Wisconsin tenant protections.
A 3.5/10 places Odanah in the 99th percentile of Wisconsin 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 Odanah (3.5/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
