A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Murray County, Minnesota
Murray County is quintessential southwest Minnesota prairie — wide open, agricultural, and honest about what it is. Sitting on the elevated Coteau des Prairies plateau where the land rises above the surrounding landscape, the county looks west toward South Dakota and east toward the broader Minnesota River basin, its flat fields of corn and soybeans interrupted by the occasional wind turbine, grain elevator, or the surprising blue of Lake Shetek glinting in the northeast. For landlords, the county represents the small-market rural end of the Minnesota rental spectrum: low rents, a limited but stable tenant pool, and a straightforward state-law environment with no local complications.
Slayton and the County Seat Economy
Slayton, with about 2,000 residents, is Murray County’s largest community and its governmental and commercial hub. Murray County Hospital provides critical access healthcare for the county and surrounding region, employing physicians, nurses, and clinical staff who constitute the professional rental segment. County government, the Slayton school district, and local retail and agricultural services round out the employment base. The rental market in Slayton is very small — a handful of apartment buildings and an assortment of rental homes serving county employees, hospital staff, agricultural workers, and the occasional wind farm technician working on Buffalo Ridge turbines.
Rents in Slayton are among the most affordable in Minnesota. A two-bedroom unit might rent for $550 to $700 per month. This reflects both the rural market and income levels of the tenant pool. For landlords, the implication is that the mathematics of property investment here require low acquisition costs to generate acceptable returns — the rent ceiling is real, but so is the affordability of the properties themselves.
Lake Shetek: Southwest Minnesota’s Largest Lake
Lake Shetek in the county’s northeastern corner is the largest natural lake in southwest Minnesota, a glacially carved water body that stands in sharp contrast to the surrounding prairie landscape. Lake Shetek State Park, on the lake’s western shore near Currie, offers camping, swimming, fishing, and boating access and draws visitors from across the region. The lake’s resort and cabin economy generates seasonal employment and some short-term rental demand during summer and fall fishing season. Currie, at the lake, is a very small community that serves as the gateway to the park and lake recreation.
The lake creates an opportunity for short-term cabin rental that can supplement or replace year-round residential tenancy for properties with lake access. During summer months, lake cabins can generate meaningful per-night income from anglers and vacationers from the Sioux Falls area (about 90 miles to the west) and occasionally from Twin Cities visitors seeking affordable southwestern lake access. The off-season is quiet, however, and landlords operating short-term lake rentals need to account for the extended low-revenue period from October through May.
Agriculture: The Foundation
Corn and soybeans dominate Murray County’s cropland, grown on the dark, productive soils of the Coteau des Prairies. Hog production operations are also significant in the county, providing year-round agricultural employment that is more stable than purely crop-dependent work. Grain elevators in Slayton, Fulda, and other communities provide agribusiness employment. Farm operators, farm employees, and agricultural support workers form the backbone of the county’s non-governmental workforce and contribute to residential rental demand, particularly in Slayton and Fulda.
Wind Energy on the Buffalo Ridge
The western edge of Murray County sits on the Buffalo Ridge, the same glacial moraine that produces exceptional wind resources in neighboring Lincoln and Pipestone counties. Commercial wind turbines on the county’s section of the ridge contribute to the regional energy grid and generate lease income for participating landowners. Wind farm operations occasionally bring maintenance technicians and construction crews to the area, creating short-term or project-duration housing demand. For landlords with furnished or flexible rental units in Slayton, this can represent a useful supplemental tenant segment during wind farm construction or major maintenance projects.
Minnesota State Law: Uncomplicated and Landlord-Reasonable
Murray County has no local landlord-tenant ordinances. Minn. Stat. Ch. 504B is the complete framework. Key provisions: 14-Day Pay or Vacate for nonpayment (§504B.285); security deposit return within 21 days with annual interest and itemized deductions, 2x damages for wrongful retention (§504B.178); 24-hour advance notice for non-emergency entry (§504B.195); 68°F minimum heat October 1 through April 30; no rent control; no just-cause eviction requirement; self-help eviction illegal with civil penalties up to $500 per day (§504B.375). All evictions go to Murray County District Court in Slayton.
Murray 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 Murray County District Court, Slayton. Self-help eviction: illegal, up to $500/day civil penalty + misdemeanor (§504B.375). Fair Housing Act applies. No tribal trust land complications. Minneapolis just-cause ordinance does not apply. Last updated: April 2026.
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