In court-decided eviction outcomes for Merrill, WI, tenants prevail in roughly 26.7% 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
54d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Merrill, WI until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 54 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$2.1–5.6k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Merrill, WI costs landlords $2,098 to $5,582 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$771
33% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Merrill, WI is $771 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 33% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
38.9%
of households
38.9% of occupied housing units in Merrill, 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
17.3%
3.5% unemp.
17.3% of Merrill, WI residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 3.5%. 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
GOP margin +25.2% (2024)
4.5
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
4.5
State political climate
Wisconsin legislature & governorship
2.9
Economic stress
17.3% poverty · 3.5% unemp.
6.4
Supply constraint
$771 average · 38.9% renters
5.8
Rent Control risk
32.9% of income on rent
8.3
Eviction process difficulty
54 days filing → judgment
2.6
Tenant organizing strength
38.9% renters
8.0
Housing court bias
County bench composition
7.8
Geographic context
Risk heat across Merrill and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Merrill compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Lincoln County
Very High
#1of 2 cities
#1 of 2 cities in Lincoln County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Wisconsin
High
#196of 803 cities
#196 of 803 cities in Wisconsin for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
3
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 3/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+1.0 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
54d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $771/mo. A contested eviction takes 54 days and costs $2,098–$5,582 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
38.9%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 9,356 residents, 38.9% rent. 33% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 17.3% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
4.5
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 4.5 and 4.5 (GOP margin +25.2% (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 2.6, housing court bias 7.8, rent-control risk 8.3. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-2.4 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
6.4
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 6.4. Supply constraint: 5.8. The numbers behind those: 17.3% poverty, 3.5% unemployment, 33% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Merrill sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Merrill · 54d · ~$3.8k all-in ($71/day) · score 3National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Merrill, Wisconsin, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 3/10 (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.
Merrill is a city of 9,356 residents where 38.9% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 32.9% of income on rent. At an average rent of $771/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 Merrill eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 2.6/10, 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 Merrill closes 54 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 Merrill's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 7.8/10 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 Merrill runs $2,098 to $5,582 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 54 days of typical timeline and $771/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 8/10 in Merrill, and the city sits at the top of the rent control risk spectrum (8.3/10). 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 Merrill: 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 $5,582 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Merrill
Trap · 8.3/10
The 4.9/10 score weighs nine sub-factors including political climate, court bias, supply constraint, and tenant organizing strength. Merrill's rent-control-risk sub-score is 8.3/10, driven by demographic and political pressure for tenant relief.
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
Can I evict a tenant in Merrill without a reason?
Yes, Wisconsin law does not have a statewide just-cause eviction requirement. For a month-to-month tenancy, you can issue a 28-day no-cause termination notice. For a fixed-term lease, you generally need a reason (like a lease violation or non-payment) unless the lease term simply expires and you don't renew it.
Q2
How long does an eviction typically take in Merrill?
The typical eviction timeline in Merrill is around 54 days from the start of the notice period to the sheriff lockout. This can vary based on court scheduling, tenant actions, and whether you have an attorney.
Q3
Is there a cap on security deposits in Merrill, WI?
No, Wisconsin state law does not impose a statutory cap on the amount a landlord can charge for a security deposit. You can set the amount you deem appropriate for your property, though market rates will influence what tenants are willing to pay.
Q4
What should I do if my tenant stops paying rent?
First, issue a 5-day pay-or-quit notice immediately after the rent is past due. If they don't pay or move out within those five days, file for eviction with the Lincoln County Circuit Court. Consider "cash for keys" as an alternative to a full eviction if the tenant is willing to cooperate.
Q5
Can I charge late fees on rent in Merrill?
Yes, you can charge reasonable late fees as long as they are clearly stated in your lease agreement. Wisconsin law does not specify a maximum late fee amount, but they must be reasonable and reflect actual damages incurred by the landlord due to late payment.
Q6
Do I need an attorney for an eviction in Merrill?
While you are not legally required to have an attorney for an eviction in Wisconsin, it is highly recommended. Eviction procedures are complex, and a single mistake can lead to delays, dismissal of your case, and increased costs. An attorney can navigate the process efficiently and correctly.
A 3/10 places Merrill in the 82nd 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 Merrill (3/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
