Price County is a north-central Wisconsin county of approximately 14,000 residents situated entirely within or adjacent to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest — one of the largest national forests in the eastern United States, covering nearly 1.5 million acres across northern Wisconsin. The county seat of Phillips, with approximately 1,500 residents on the Elk River, is the county’s governmental and commercial hub, a small city whose economy reflects its deep dependence on the surrounding forest and the outdoor recreation economy it supports. The county’s other significant community is Park Falls, approximately 20 miles northwest of Phillips on the Flambeau River, a former paper mill city that has navigated significant economic transition since the closure of its Domtar paper mill and now anchors the county’s northwestern economic activity. The county contains the Flambeau River State Forest, one of Wisconsin’s premier wild river canoe corridors, and the North Fork and South Fork of the Flambeau River offer some of the most challenging and scenic whitewater paddling in the Midwest. Price County’s economy is anchored by forest products employment (logging, timber processing, Christmas tree farming for which the county is nationally significant), county government, healthcare, and outdoor recreation tourism.
All residential landlord-tenant matters in Price County are governed by Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134. Eviction actions are filed at the Price County Circuit Court in Phillips. Wisconsin has no statewide rent control, and Wis. Stat. §66.1015 prohibits municipalities from enacting rent stabilization. No Price County municipality has a just-cause eviction ordinance. The county’s rental market is very thin, concentrated almost entirely in Phillips and Park Falls, with extremely low price points reflecting the county’s remote, forested character.
3.5/10 — Remote, thin market, very low rents, forest/recreation economy
⚖️ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
5-Day Pay or Vacate
Lease Violation
5-Day Cure or Vacate
No-Cause (Month-to-Month)
28-Day Written Notice
Court
Price County Circuit Court
Process Name
Eviction (formerly Forcible Entry & Detainer)
Post-Judgment Move-Out
As ordered by court; writ issued after judgment
Avg Timeline
3–5 weeks (very light docket)
Price County Local Ordinances
County and municipal rules that apply alongside Wisconsin state law
Category
Details
Rental Registration
No statewide rental registration in Wisconsin. Price County and its municipalities including Phillips and Park Falls have not enacted mandatory landlord licensing. Code enforcement is complaint-driven and minimal given the county’s very small population. Pre-1978 properties in Phillips and Park Falls require lead paint disclosure under ATCP 134.04.
Rent Control
Banned statewide under Wis. Stat. §66.1015. No Price County municipality may enact rent stabilization. Price County rents are among Wisconsin’s lowest, reflecting the county’s extremely thin, remote rental market. No local rent ordinance exists.
Security Deposit
No statutory cap in Wisconsin. ATCP 134.06 requires return within 21 days of tenancy end with itemized written deduction statement. Wrongful withholding: double damages plus attorney’s fees. Written check-in sheet at move-in required; tenant has 7 days to note disagreements. These requirements apply in full in Price County regardless of the very informal character of the local rental market.
Landlord Entry
Minimum 12 hours’ advance notice for non-emergency entry under Wis. Stat. §704.05(2). Emergency entry permitted without notice. Entry at reasonable times only.
Forest Economy, Christmas Trees & Park Falls Transition
Price County is nationally recognized as one of Wisconsin’s major Christmas tree producing counties — the carefully managed forest plantations of Price and surrounding counties supply a significant share of the nation’s cut Christmas tree market. The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, which covers much of the county’s land area, supports timber harvesting, wildlife management, and outdoor recreation including world-class snowmobiling trails, ATV routes, and cross-country ski trails. Park Falls, historically a paper mill town whose Domtar mill was a major employer, has worked to diversify its economy following the mill’s closure. The Flambeau River State Forest and the North and South Fork of the Flambeau River offer premier wilderness canoeing and kayaking that attract paddlers from across the Midwest. These recreation and natural resources assets support a modest tourism and outdoor service economy that supplements the county’s governmental and healthcare employment base.
Just-Cause Eviction
No just-cause requirement in Price County. Month-to-month tenancies may be terminated with 28-day written notice. Milwaukee’s just-cause ordinance (MCO §200-51.5) has no application here.
Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134 statutes, notice requirements, and landlord rights that apply in Price County
⚡ Quick Overview
5 (first offense with cure); 14 (repeat within 1 year - no cure)
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
5 (first curable violation); 14 (repeat within 1 year - no cure); 5 (criminal/drug-gang activity - no cure)
Days Notice (Violation)
21-45
Avg Total Days
$$94.50-$114.50
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type5-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate (first offense) / 14-Day Notice to Vacate (repeat within 1 year)
Notice Period5 (first offense with cure); 14 (repeat within 1 year - no cure) days
Tenant Can Cure?Yes for first 5-day notice - tenant can pay all rent to stop eviction; No for 14-day notice (repeat nonpayment within 1 year)
Days to Hearing5-25 (hearing 5-25 days after filing; tenant has 5 days to answer after service) days
Days to WritWrit of Restitution issued after judgment; sheriff executes days
Total Estimated Timeline21-45 days
Total Estimated Cost$200-500
⚠️ Watch Out
5-day pay or vacate for first nonpayment. CRITICAL: If landlord has given 5-day notice within past year, can instead give 14-day notice to vacate with NO cure right (§ 704.17(2)(a)). Acceptance of rent during nonpayment action does NOT waive right to proceed (§ 799.40(1m)). Eviction records appear on CCAP (public court records website) for 2-10 years - significant consequence for tenants. Small Claims Court handles all evictions. Declaration of Non-Military Service required (GF-175 form). If tenant wrongfully overstays, landlord can recover 2x daily rent for each day (§ 799.44(3)). 12-hour advance notice required for landlord entry (unless emergency or shorter notice agreed in lease). Some leases with terms >1 year can override statutory notice provisions (§ 704.17(5)).
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Small Claims Court (Circuit Court) - Eviction Action (Wis. Stat. Ch. 799, §§ 799.40-799.45). Pay the filing fee (~$$94.50-$114.50).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Wisconsin eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Wisconsin attorney or local legal aid organization.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Flambeau River State Forest, North & South Fork Flambeau whitewater, Christmas tree capital of Wisconsin, Park Falls former paper mill community, extreme Northwoods character. Very thin rental market, lowest rents in north-central WI.
Price County
Screen Before You Sign
Forest industry workers, Christmas tree farm employees, county government and school district staff, healthcare workers, National Forest service employees, and outdoor recreation economy workers are your core renter profiles. Written leases essential in all cases. Verify income at 3x rent, run Wisconsin circuit court records.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Price County, Wisconsin
Price County represents the deep Northwoods end of Wisconsin’s rental market spectrum — a remote, heavily forested county where the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest defines the landscape, the Flambeau River defines the recreational character, and the county’s small population is dispersed across a vast area of public and private forest land. For landlords, Price County offers very low acquisition costs, very low rents, and a thin but stable year-round demand from the county’s government, healthcare, and forest industry workforce.
The Christmas Tree Capital
Price County’s distinction as a significant national Christmas tree producer is less widely known than it deserves to be. The county’s combination of appropriate soils, climate, and available land makes it one of Wisconsin’s premier Christmas tree farming regions, and Wisconsin itself is one of the nation’s top Christmas tree producing states. Christmas tree farming — a labor-intensive agricultural operation requiring shearing, spraying, harvesting, and shipping — employs seasonal workers and farm families across the county. This agricultural character is distinctly different from the general timber and logging economy of the surrounding Northwoods and gives the county a niche agricultural identity that few Wisconsin counties share.
The Flambeau River
The Flambeau River and its Flambeau River State Forest represent the county’s most significant recreational asset. The North and South Forks of the Flambeau offer a continuum of whitewater difficulty from challenging Class III-IV rapids to gentler stretches suitable for less experienced paddlers, all within a wild river corridor of old-growth hemlock and white pine that is exceptional in the upper Midwest. The state forest’s campgrounds and canoe launch facilities attract paddlers from throughout Wisconsin and from Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan who recognize the Flambeau as one of the premier wild river experiences in the region. This recreational economy supports outfitters, liveries, and hospitality services in the Park Falls area that provide modest employment for county residents.
Park Falls and Economic Transition
Park Falls, the county’s second community, faced significant economic challenge when the Domtar paper mill that had anchored the city’s industrial economy closed, eliminating well-paying manufacturing jobs that had supported Park Falls families for generations. The city has worked to attract new industrial investment and has seen some success with new employers in the area, but the transition from paper mill employment to a more diversified economic base has been difficult for a remote community with limited economic geography advantages. For residential landlords, Park Falls’ economic transition means careful tenant screening is especially important — the loss of the mill reduced the pool of reliably employed professional-income tenants available in the community.
Wisconsin Legal Framework in Price County
All residential tenancies in Price County follow the standard Wisconsin Ch. 704 and ATCP 134 framework. The 5-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate for nonpayment, 5-Day Notice to Cure or Vacate for lease violations, and 28-Day Written Notice for no-cause month-to-month termination apply regardless of the informal character of the local market. Eviction actions are filed at the Price County Circuit Court in Phillips. ATCP 134 security deposit compliance is mandatory. No rent control (Wis. Stat. §66.1015). No just-cause eviction requirement.
Price County landlord-tenant matters are governed by Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134. Nonpayment notice: 5-day pay or vacate. Lease violation: 5-day cure or vacate. No-cause termination: 28-day written notice. Security deposit return: 21 days; double damages for wrongful retention. Landlord entry: 12 hours’ advance notice required. No rent control (Wis. Stat. §66.1015). No just-cause eviction requirement. Eviction actions filed at Price County Circuit Court, Phillips. Milwaukee just-cause ordinance (MCO §200-51.5) does not apply. Last updated: April 2026.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Price County, Wisconsin and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with a licensed Wisconsin attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
