Houston County is Minnesota’s southeastern-most county, occupying the dramatic Driftless Area landscape where the Mississippi River and its tributaries have carved deep valleys through limestone bluffs along the borders of both Iowa and Wisconsin. The county seat of Caledonia, with roughly 2,900 residents, sits on the upland plateau away from the river, while La Crescent — the county’s largest community at approximately 5,000 residents — hugs the Mississippi River directly across from La Crosse, Wisconsin and serves as both a bedroom community for the La Crosse metro and a well-known apple-growing center. Houston, Spring Grove, and Hokah serve the county’s interior and river communities. Houston County shares borders with both Iowa to the south and Wisconsin across the Mississippi to the east; neither Iowa landlord-tenant law nor Wisconsin Ch. 704 has any application to Minnesota-side properties. The county’s economy combines dairy and specialty agriculture on the bluff-land farms with a significant commuter base to La Crosse, Wisconsin, which anchors a much larger regional economy across the river including Gundersen Health System and Mayo Clinic Health System’s La Crosse campus. La Crescent in particular functions as a Minnesota suburb of the La Crosse metro, generating rental demand from commuters who prefer Minnesota’s tax environment and community character while working in Wisconsin.
All residential landlord-tenant matters in Houston County are governed by Minn. Stat. Ch. 504B. Eviction actions are filed at the Houston County District Court in Caledonia. Minnesota has no statewide rent control and no just-cause eviction requirement. No Houston County municipality has enacted a local rent stabilization ordinance. There are no tribal trust land jurisdictional complications in Houston County — state law governs throughout.
La Crescent (~5,000), Caledonia (~2,900), Houston (~1,000), Spring Grove (~1,300)
Median Rent
~$650–$900
Major Economy
La Crosse, WI commuter base, dairy agriculture, apple orchards, county government, Gundersen/Mayo La Crosse commuters
Rent Control
None (no statewide or local ordinance)
Landlord Rating
6.5/10 — La Crescent commuter demand, Driftless scenic character, dual Iowa/Wisconsin border, clean state law
⚖️ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
14-Day Pay or Vacate
Lease Violation
Reasonable time to cure
No-Cause (Month-to-Month)
One full rental period written notice (≥30 days)
Court
Houston County District Court, Caledonia
Process Name
Eviction (Unlawful Detainer)
Post-Judgment Move-Out
As ordered by court; writ issued after judgment
Avg Timeline
3–6 weeks (uncontested; light docket)
Houston County Local Ordinances
County and municipal rules that apply alongside Minnesota state law
Category
Details
Rental Registration
No county-wide rental registration or landlord licensing in Houston County. No municipality in the county has enacted a mandatory rental inspection or licensing program. Code enforcement is complaint-driven. Pre-1978 properties require federal lead paint disclosure under 42 U.S.C. §4852d. Houston County’s older communities contain some pre-1978 housing stock requiring disclosure.
Rent Control
None. No Houston County municipality has enacted rent stabilization. Minnesota has no statewide rent control statute. Landlords may raise rent at lease renewal with proper notice.
Security Deposit
No statutory cap in Minnesota. Minn. Stat. §504B.178 requires return within 21 days after tenancy ends and landlord receives tenant’s forwarding address, whichever is later. Itemized written statement required for any deductions. Interest must be paid annually at the rate set by the MN Dept. of Commerce. Wrongful withholding: up to 2× damages plus attorney’s fees.
Landlord Entry
Minimum 24 hours’ advance notice for non-emergency entry under Minn. Stat. §504B.195. Emergency entry permitted without notice. Entry must be at reasonable times only.
La Crescent, the La Crosse Commuter Market & Apple Country
Houston County occupies one of Minnesota’s most distinctive geographic positions: wedged between Iowa to the south, Wisconsin across the Mississippi to the east, and the Driftless bluffs rising steeply from the river valleys on all sides. The county’s most important economic dynamic is its relationship with La Crosse, Wisconsin — a city of roughly 50,000 with a substantially larger metropolitan area that anchors a regional economy including two major hospital systems (Gundersen Health System, one of the largest employer in the La Crosse area, and Mayo Clinic Health System’s Franciscan Healthcare campus), the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, Viterbo University, and a diverse commercial and manufacturing base. La Crescent, Minnesota sits directly across the Mississippi River from La Crosse on the Minnesota side of the state border, connected by the US-14/61 bridge. Many La Crosse-area workers and employees of the hospital systems choose to live in La Crescent for a combination of reasons: Minnesota’s income tax structure, the quality of Minnesota schools, the community character of a small city on the bluffs, and the relatively affordable housing compared to the La Crosse Wisconsin-side market. This commuter dynamic gives La Crescent a rental market that is somewhat stronger than its size alone would generate. La Crescent is also known throughout the region as Minnesota’s apple capital — the Apple Festival held each September draws visitors from across the tri-state area to celebrate the orchards that thrive on the south-facing bluff slopes above the Mississippi. The warm microclimate created by the river valley and the limestone bluffs extends the growing season and makes apple, pear, and other fruit production viable in La Crescent that would not survive in most of Minnesota. Houston, Spring Grove (home to a significant Norwegian heritage community), and Caledonia serve the county’s upland agricultural interior. Both Iowa and Wisconsin border Houston County; the laws of neither state apply to any Minnesota-side property.
Just-Cause Eviction
No just-cause requirement in Houston County or any of its municipalities. Month-to-month tenancies may be terminated with one full rental period’s written notice (§504B.135). Minneapolis’ just-cause eviction ordinance has no application here.
Minn. Stat. Ch. 504B statutes, notice requirements, and landlord rights that apply in Houston County
⚡ Quick Overview
14
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
Varies - reasonable cure period; immediate for illegal activity
Days Notice (Violation)
21-90
Avg Total Days
$$285-320
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type14-Day Notice to Pay or Quit
Notice Period14 days
Tenant Can Cure?Yes - tenant can pay all rent within 14 days to stop eviction
Days to Hearing7-14 days
Days to WritImmediate after judgment (24 hours to vacate) days
Total Estimated Timeline21-90 days
Total Estimated Cost$400-800
⚠️ Watch Out
CRITICAL (2024): 14-day notice must include specific accounting of total due (rent; late fees; other charges); landlord contact info; statement that tenant has right to seek legal help and emergency rental assistance; information about financial/legal resources. Court MUST dismiss and expunge case if notice is deficient. Tenant can 'redeem tenancy' by paying all rent owed plus court costs before sheriff executes writ. Eviction records sealed from public until final judgment entered. For leases over 20 years: 30-day notice required. 2025 change: landlord must also send court papers electronically if regularly communicates with tenant electronically.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the District Court or Housing Court (Hennepin/Ramsey Counties). Pay the filing fee (~$$285-320).
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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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.
La Crescent (largest city, Mississippi River, La Crosse WI commuter hub, Apple Festival), Caledonia (county seat, upland plateau), Spring Grove (Norwegian heritage), Houston, Hokah. Iowa & Wisconsin borders — neither state’s law applies. Driftless Area bluffs and river valleys. No rent control, 14-day pay or vacate, no just-cause eviction.
Houston County
Screen Before You Sign
La Crosse healthcare workers (Gundersen Health System, Mayo Clinic Health System Franciscan) and UW–La Crosse staff who live on the Minnesota side are your most stable and financially reliable profiles. County government, school district, and agricultural service workers anchor the interior county. Verify income at 3× rent and run Minnesota court records before signing.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Houston County, Minnesota
Houston County is Minnesota’s most southeasterly county, a place of remarkable geographic drama where the Driftless Area’s unglaciated bluffs meet three state borders and where the Mississippi River defines both the physical and economic landscape. For landlords, the county offers a rental market driven by an unusual dynamic: many residents work in Wisconsin but live in Minnesota, drawn across the state line by Minnesota’s community character, school quality, and tax structure.
La Crescent: Minnesota’s Apple Capital and La Crosse Suburb
La Crescent occupies one of the most distinctive positions of any small Minnesota city. Sitting on the Minnesota bank of the Mississippi River directly across from La Crosse, Wisconsin — a city of 50,000 with a significantly larger metropolitan area — La Crescent functions simultaneously as a self-contained community with its own character and as a bedroom suburb for the La Crosse regional economy. The US-14/US-61 bridge connecting La Crescent and La Crosse makes the commute straightforward, and many employees of Gundersen Health System, Mayo Clinic Health System’s Franciscan Healthcare campus, the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, Viterbo University, and the broader La Crosse commercial economy choose to live in La Crescent for reasons ranging from preference for Minnesota public schools and community feel to strategic tax considerations. This cross-river commuter dynamic sustains La Crescent’s rental market at levels stronger than its population of 5,000 would suggest in isolation.
La Crescent’s other claim to distinction is as Minnesota’s apple capital. The south-facing limestone bluffs above La Crescent create a microclimate of exceptional warmth and sun exposure, sheltered from north winds and bathed in reflected heat from the river valley below. Apple orchards have thrived on these bluffs since the nineteenth century, producing varieties including Honeycrisp, Haralson, and numerous others. The annual La Crescent Apple Festival each September is one of the region’s most popular harvest celebrations, drawing visitors from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa for a weekend of orchard tours, cider pressing, craft vendors, and river valley scenery.
Caledonia and the Upland Interior
Caledonia, the county seat, sits on the upland plateau away from the Mississippi, surrounded by the rolling dairy and crop farmland that characterizes the Driftless Area’s upland regions. The city’s economy centers on county government, the Caledonia school district, and the agricultural service businesses that serve the surrounding farm community. Spring Grove, in the county’s interior, is notable as the first Norwegian-settled city in Minnesota — its Scandinavian heritage is celebrated annually and is visible in its architecture and community institutions. Houston, on the Root River, and Hokah, at the confluence of the Root and Mississippi rivers, are small communities with limited but stable residential rental demand.
Two State Borders: Neither Applies
Houston County is the only Minnesota county that borders two other states simultaneously — Iowa to the south and Wisconsin to the east across the Mississippi River. Wisconsin has its own landlord-tenant statutes (Wis. Stat. Ch. 704), and Iowa has its own landlord-tenant code. Neither has any application whatsoever to rental properties on the Minnesota side of either border. Minnesota Ch. 504B governs all Houston County properties exclusively. Evictions file at Houston County District Court in Caledonia. Security deposits must be returned within 21 days with interest and an itemized statement. Entry requires 24 hours’ advance notice. Heat must be maintained at 68°F from October 1 through April 30. Self-help eviction is illegal.
Houston County landlord-tenant matters are governed by Minn. Stat. Ch. 504B. Nonpayment notice: 14-Day Pay or Vacate (§504B.285). Lease violation: reasonable time to cure. No-cause termination: one full rental period written notice (§504B.135). Security deposit return: 21 days; up to 2× damages for wrongful retention plus attorney’s fees (§504B.178). Security deposit interest required annually at MN Dept. of Commerce rate. Landlord entry: 24 hours’ advance notice required (§504B.195). Minimum heat: 68°F, Oct. 1–Apr. 30. No rent control. No just-cause eviction requirement. Eviction actions filed at Houston County District Court, Caledonia. Self-help eviction: illegal, up to $500/day civil penalty + misdemeanor (§504B.375). Iowa law and Wisconsin law (Wis. Stat. Ch. 704) do not apply to any Houston County property. No tribal trust land complications. Minneapolis just-cause ordinance does not apply. Last updated: April 2026.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Houston County, Minnesota and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with a licensed Minnesota attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
