A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Slope County, North Dakota
Slope County is North Dakota at its most elemental — a landscape of eroded buttes, deep coulees, and sweeping grasslands where cattle outnumber people by a wide margin and the nearest grocery store is in another county. With roughly 750 residents in more than 1,200 square miles, Slope County has less than one person per square mile, making it one of the most sparsely populated counties not only in North Dakota but in the entire United States. The “rental market” here is essentially a concept rather than a functioning market — there are so few people and so few structures that rental properties are nearly nonexistent in any formal sense.
Amidon: America’s Tiniest County Seat
Amidon, with approximately 20 permanent residents, is one of the smallest county seats in the United States. Despite its diminutive size, Amidon maintains a functioning courthouse where Slope County governmental business is conducted, including the rare landlord-tenant matter that might arise. The town has no commercial businesses — residents travel to Bowman (Bowman County) or Dickinson (Stark County) for groceries, medical care, and other services. For landlords, Amidon is relevant only as the location of the courthouse where any eviction filing would be made.
Marmarth: The County’s Largest Community
Marmarth, with approximately 125 residents, is Slope County’s largest community — a former railroad town on the BNSF mainline near the South Dakota border. Marmarth has gained some recognition as a paleontology destination, with dinosaur fossil discoveries in the surrounding Badlands terrain attracting researchers and visitors. The town maintains a basic commercial presence and serves as a residential base for ranchers in the surrounding area. Any rental property in Marmarth would be one of an extremely small number of units in the entire county.
Ranching Economy
Cattle ranching is the dominant economic activity in Slope County. The county’s Badlands terrain and grasslands support extensive grazing operations, and many ranching families have operated the same land for generations. Ranch employment — ranch hands, cowboys, fencing crews, and seasonal workers — creates the county’s primary (and essentially only) private-sector housing demand. Ranch workers who do not live on the ranch itself need housing in Marmarth or the surrounding area, but this demand is measured in single digits rather than meaningful market volumes.
Little Missouri National Grassland
Portions of the Little Missouri National Grassland, managed by the U.S. Forest Service, extend into Slope County. Forest Service employees — range conservationists, wildlife biologists, and fire management staff — represent a small but stable federal employment presence. These workers need housing in or near the county, and their federal salaries make them among the most creditworthy potential tenants in this market.
North Dakota Law in Slope County
Slope County landlords operate under NDCC Ch. 47-16 and Ch. 47-32. The 3-Day Notice to Pay or Quit for nonpayment (after the mandatory 3-day grace period under § 47-16-07(2)), the 3-Day Notice to Quit for lease violations with no cure right, and the 30-Day Written Notice for month-to-month terminations are the operative notice timelines. The Slope County District Court at 206 Butte St. in Amidon, part of the Southwest Judicial District, handles eviction filings. LLCs and other entities must retain licensed North Dakota counsel. Attorney fees are recoverable by the prevailing landlord under § 47-32-04.
Slope County landlord-tenant matters are governed by NDCC Ch. 47-16 and Ch. 47-32. Nonpayment notice: 3-day pay or quit (after 3-day grace period). Lease violation: 3-day quit (no cure). Month-to-month termination: 30-day written notice. Security deposit cap: 1 month’s rent; pet deposit up to $2,500 or 2 months. Deposit return: 30 days; interest required if occupancy 9+ months. Late fees must be in lease; no charge during 3-day grace period. Legal entities must use licensed ND attorney in eviction. Attorney fees recoverable by prevailing landlord (§ 47-32-04). Hardship stay: up to 5 days. Eviction filed at Slope County District Court, 206 Butte St., Amidon, ND 58620, (701) 879-6275. Filing fee ~$80. Southwest Judicial District. 2025 SB 2238: eviction record sealing after 7 years. No rent control. No just-cause eviction requirement. Last updated: May 2026.
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