A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Redwood County, Minnesota
Redwood County sits in a transitional zone where the open agricultural prairie of southwest Minnesota begins to acquire topographic relief along the Minnesota River Valley — a landscape quite different from the flatness one might expect this far into the plains. The Redwood River drops over a waterfall in the heart of Redwood Falls before meeting the Minnesota River, and Ramsey Park, the large municipal park that surrounds the falls, gives the county seat a natural amenity that few communities of 5,000 can match. That scenic setting, combined with a stable county seat employment base anchored by healthcare and county government, makes Redwood Falls a small market with more character than its size alone would suggest.
Redwood Falls and Ramsey Park
Ramsey Park is a 217-acre municipal park featuring the Redwood Falls themselves, a small zoo, picnic areas, a campground, and trail access along the river bluffs — an amenity collection that would be remarkable for a city ten times the size. The park draws visitors from across southwest Minnesota and gives Redwood Falls a quality-of-life reputation that enhances its attractiveness as a place to live and work. For landlords, this means that professional tenants — physicians at Carris Health, attorneys at county offices, teachers at the school district — often choose Redwood Falls over comparable communities specifically because of the outdoor amenity and the city’s overall character.
Carris Health and the Healthcare Anchor
Carris Health operates hospital and clinic facilities in Redwood Falls as part of a regional healthcare network serving southwest and west-central Minnesota. Healthcare employment at the professional and clinical level represents the most stable professional rental segment in the county — physicians, nurses, therapists, and clinical staff who commit to multi-year practice arrangements and need quality rental housing. This segment is small but reliable, and landlords who establish a reputation for professional-grade units and responsive management benefit from referrals within the healthcare community.
Jackpot Junction and Lower Sioux
Morton, a small community in Redwood County along the Minnesota River, is home to Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel, operated by the Lower Sioux Indian Community. Jackpot Junction is one of the larger casinos in southwest Minnesota, employing gaming, hospitality, food service, and administrative staff in a region where large employers are rare. Casino employment creates modest rental demand in Morton and in Redwood Falls for workers who live within a reasonable commute distance. The Lower Sioux Agency, a historic site of the 1862 Dakota War, is also located in this area.
Marshall and SMSU: The Regional Hub Connection
Marshall, in neighboring Lyon County about 20 miles to the west, is the regional hub for southwest Minnesota — home to Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU), Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center, and a diverse retail and commercial sector that serves a wide surrounding area. Some Redwood County residents commute to Marshall for employment, and the SMSU connection occasionally brings faculty or staff into the Redwood Falls rental market for those who prefer the smaller community’s character. The relationship between Redwood Falls and Marshall is cooperative rather than competitive — the communities serve different roles in the regional economy.
State Law: Complete and Uncomplicated
Redwood County has no local landlord-tenant ordinances. Minn. Stat. Ch. 504B governs entirely. 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; self-help eviction illegal up to $500 per day (§504B.375). All evictions go to Redwood County District Court in Redwood Falls.
Redwood 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 Redwood County District Court, Redwood Falls. Self-help eviction: illegal, up to $500/day civil penalty + misdemeanor (§504B.375). Fair Housing Act applies. No tribal trust land complications on fee simple land. Last updated: April 2026.
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