Iron County, Wisconsin Eviction Risk: Low

Iron County sits in the far north of Wisconsin eviction laws along the Michigan eviction laws border, a sparsely populated county of roughly 2,984 residents where rental housing is a modest but consequential part of the local economy. Renters make up about 19% of occupied housing units - well below the state average - and average rent runs around $612 per month, among the lowest in Wisconsin eviction laws. The county earns an eviction risk score of 2.9/10 (Low), placing it at 46th of 72 Wisconsin counties, with 45 counties carrying higher risk and 26 carrying less. That landing in the middle of the state reflects a combination of low housing costs, a small renter population, and Wisconsin eviction laws's relatively landlord-neutral statutory framework under Wis. Stat. § 704.

Within Iron County, scores differ noticeably across its six communities. Pence carries the highest local score at 3.1/10, followed by Hurley at 3/10 and Iron Belt at 3/10. Hurley is the county seat and most populous city, with about 1,354 residents, and its score reflects slightly denser rental activity and somewhat more contested landlord-tenant dynamics than the surrounding townships. Montreal, the second-largest community at around 909 residents, scores 2.7/10, while Saxon comes in at 2.8/10. Mercer, despite its well-known recreational draw as a gateway to lake country, posts the county's lowest score at 2.6/10 - a figure that aligns with its small renter base and relatively low poverty rate. The full spread from 2.6 to 3.1/10 is narrow by Wisconsin eviction laws standards, signaling a county where the tenant-protection landscape does not vary dramatically from one ZIP code to the next.

Iron County's poverty rate averages 15.5% - noticeably above many Wisconsin eviction laws counties - and rent burden sits at 26.9%, meaning a significant share of renters here dedicate more than a quarter of household income to housing costs. That financial pressure matters when evaluating eviction risk, because cost-burdened renters have thinner margins when income disruptions occur. Yet the county's low absolute rents ($612 average) and limited rental supply cap the frequency of formal eviction filings relative to more urbanized counties. Landlords operating in Iron County face a statutory environment that is generally permissive: Wisconsin eviction laws preempts all local rent control under state law, no just-cause eviction requirement applies, and the Wisconsin eviction laws Equal Rights Division handles fair housing complaints. Entry requires 12 hours advance notice under Wis. Stat. § 704, and retaliation protections are codified at Wis. Stat. § 704.45. For any landlord weighing a northern Wisconsin eviction laws investment, Iron County's combination of low risk score, minimal regulatory friction, and low rents paints a cautious but navigable picture.

Iron County's 2.9/10 eviction risk score reflects its small renter population, low average rents of $612/month, and Wisconsin eviction laws's landlord-neutral statute under Wis. Stat. § 704 - which bars local rent control and imposes no just-cause eviction requirement. A 15.5% poverty rate and 26.9% rent burden are the main friction points, but the county's thin rental market limits formal eviction volume compared to larger Wisconsin eviction laws counties.