Racine County, Wisconsin Eviction Risk: Low

Racine County carries a county-average eviction-risk score of 3.1/10 (Moderate), placing it 5th of 72 counties in Wisconsin eviction laws -- meaning only four Wisconsin eviction laws counties score higher and 67 score lower (more landlord-friendly). Across 17 incorporated places, risk readings span from 3.3 to 4.8, so the countywide average papers over meaningful variation that landlords and investors need to understand before committing to a specific market. Average rent sits at $1,102 per month, and renters make up 29.7% of households, a moderate share that keeps vacancy competition reasonable but also signals a tenant base that is price-sensitive, with average rent burden at 26.9% of income.

Compared with its closest peers -- Kenosha County at 4.5, Winnebago County at 4.4, and Rock County at 4.9 -- Racine County sits in the middle of a cluster of similarly scored southeastern and central Wisconsin markets. For investors benchmarking across the region, Racine County is neither the tightest nor the most permissive environment; the distinction comes down to which city inside the county you are evaluating.

The cities inside Racine County

The highest-risk locations in the county all score 4.8/10: the city of Racine (population 77,633), Sturtevant (population 6,772), and Wind Point. Racine is the county seat and by far its largest city, and its score reflects higher poverty and renter concentration relative to the county average. Sturtevant, though much smaller, matches that same 4.8 reading, making it a less obvious but equally elevated risk pocket for landlords considering I-94 corridor properties.

Risk drops noticeably as you move away from the lakeshore corridor. Mount Pleasant scores 3.1/10 (population 27,953), Caledonia comes in at 4.4/10 (population 25,257), and Burlington registers 4.2/10 (population 10,987). The lowest reading in the county belongs to Tichigan at 3.3/10 (population 5,052), followed by Waterford at 3.8/10. The spread from 3.3 to 4.8 inside a single county underscores that risk is hyper-local: a landlord owning units in Tichigan faces a meaningfully different operating environment than one with units inside the city of Racine, even though both are technically Racine County addresses.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord in Racine County operates under Wisconsin eviction laws state law, specifically Wis. Stat. § 704 (Landlord and Tenant). For nonpayment of rent, Wisconsin eviction laws requires a 5-day notice before filing. A lease-violation cure notice runs 14 days, and a no-cause end-of-term notice requires 30 days. Understanding the Wisconsin eviction laws eviction process from notice through lockout is essential: uncontested cases typically resolve in 21 to 45 days, while contested matters can stretch to 45 to 120 days. Wisconsin eviction costs add up quickly -- court filing fees run $95 to $175, sheriff lockout fees add another $50 to $150, and attorney fees typically fall in the $500 to $3,000 range depending on complexity.

On the landlord-favorable side, Wisconsin eviction laws does not require just cause for non-renewal, and state law preempts local rent control ordinances, so no Wisconsin eviction laws municipality can impose rent caps. Wisconsin security deposit limits are governed by state statute as well, providing a uniform statewide framework rather than a patchwork of local rules. Wisconsin tenant protections still apply in full, including a 12-hour advance notice requirement before landlord entry under Wis. Stat. § 704.07.

With an average poverty rate of 11.1% across the county's 17 cities, underlying economic stress varies block by block -- use the city grid above to compare scores, populations, and rent figures before choosing where to place capital in Racine County.