Waushara County, Wisconsin Eviction Risk: Low

Waushara County, Wisconsin eviction laws carries an eviction risk score of 3/10 (Low), placing it 16th out of 72 counties statewide and in the higher-risk third of Wisconsin. 15 counties score higher and 56 score lower, which positions Waushara meaningfully above the state average of 3.1/10 despite its largely rural, low-density character. Scores across the county's 11 tracked communities range from 2.6 to 3.3 on the 10-point scale, a spread that reflects real variation in local rental market pressure, poverty rates, and housing cost burden even within a small county of roughly 8,277 renters.

The county seat Wautoma is both the most populous rental hub and the riskiest community in Waushara, scoring 3.3/10 - a reading driven by a relatively concentrated rental stock, a 28.5% average rent burden countywide, and limited renter income diversity in a market where average rent runs $766 per month. Plainfield and Hancock both score 3.2/10 and 3.2/10 respectively, representing the next tier of risk; both are small agricultural communities where incomes are thin and any disruption to rent payment can quickly escalate toward formal court proceedings. Wild Rose comes in at 3.1/10 and Coloma at 3/10, followed by Lohrville at 2.9/10. On the lower end, Redgranite scores 2.8/10 - notable because it is the county's largest community by renter population at 1,938 people - and Almond scores the lowest in the county at 2.7/10, suggesting relatively more stable rental conditions in those communities despite countywide poverty rates averaging 14.1%.

Wisconsin eviction laws landlord-tenant law (Wis. Stat. § 704) sets clear procedural floors that apply uniformly across Waushara County. Nonpayment of rent triggers a 5-day notice requirement; lease violations require a 14-day cure notice; and no-cause terminations at end of term require 30 days. Court filings in Waushara run $95 to $175 in filing fees, with sheriff lockout costs adding another $50 to $150 on top. Uncontested evictions typically resolve in 21 to 45 days; contested matters can run 45 to 120 days. Landlords must provide at least 12 hours advance notice before entering a unit under Wis. Stat. § 704.07. Wisconsin eviction laws state law preempts any local rent control ordinance, so no municipality in Waushara County can cap rents or require just cause for nonrenewal - both of which contribute to the elevated procedural risk tenants face relative to more tenant-protective states.

Waushara County's Low designation reflects a rental environment shaped by modest incomes, a 31.9% renter share, and a state legal framework that offers landlords efficient court timelines and prohibits local rent stabilization. Average rent burden of 28.5% and a 14.1% poverty rate mean a meaningful share of renters operate with limited financial cushion, keeping eviction court activity elevated relative to the county's small size.