Big Horn County occupies the northern Bighorn Basin, a broad elliptical valley bounded by the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains to the west and the Bighorn Mountains to the east. With a population of approximately 11,800 spread across several small communities — Basin (county seat, ~1,363), Lovell (~2,400), and Greybull (~1,200) being the largest — it is one of Wyoming’s more rural counties, its economy built on irrigated agriculture, bentonite clay mining, oil and gas extraction, and an increasingly important outdoor recreation and tourism sector. The county sits north of Worland (Washakie County) and south of the Montana border, placing it within the broader Bighorn Basin agricultural and energy corridor.
The principal industries, as described by the county itself, are oil and gas development, bentonite mining, farming, and ranching. Bentonite — a clay mineral used in drilling mud, foundry sands, cat litter, and industrial sealants — is mined in significant quantities near Greybull, making Big Horn County one of Wyoming’s most important bentonite producers. Irrigated agriculture in the basin produces sugar beets, alfalfa, grain, and beans, supported by water infrastructure dating to early 20th-century federal irrigation projects along the Big Horn River. The Wyoming Retirement Center, a state-operated nursing home in Basin, is among the county’s larger institutional employers.
Tourism draws visitors to Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area (Yellowtail Reservoir), the Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark, Shell Falls, the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Refuge, and Bighorn National Forest. The county is also part of the Yellowstone gateway corridor, as Basin sits approximately 110 miles from Yellowstone’s east entrance via Cody. All residential landlord-tenant matters in Big Horn County are governed by Wyoming Statutes §§ 1-21-1001 through 1-21-1211. Eviction actions (FED) are filed in the Fifth Judicial District Court in Basin. No rent control exists anywhere in Wyoming.
Wyoming Retirement Center (Basin, state nursing home), Big Horn County School District, bentonite mining operators, oil & gas sector, agriculture, county & state government
Tourism Assets
Bighorn Canyon NRA, Medicine Wheel, Shell Falls, Pryor Mountain Wild Horses, Bighorn National Forest
Rent Control
None
Landlord Rating
4/10 — small rural market, limited rental demand, stable but modest incomes; suitable for buy-and-hold with low acquisition costs
⚖️ Eviction At-a-Glance (Wyoming)
Nonpayment Notice
3-Day Notice to Pay or Quit
Lease Violation (curable)
3-Day Notice to Cure or Quit
Illegal Activity / Non-curable
3-Day Unconditional Notice to Quit
Month-to-Month Termination
30-Day Written Notice (1 full rental period)
Court Action
Forcible Entry & Detainer (FED) — District Court
Court
Fifth Judicial District Court, Big Horn County
Courthouse Address
420 W. C St, Basin, WY 82410
Court Phone
(307) 568-2381
Mailing Address
PO Box 670, Basin, WY 82410
Court Hours
Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (Mountain Time)
Eviction Enforcement
Sheriff only (Writ of Restitution required)
Big Horn County Local Ordinances & Landlord Rules
Local rules that apply alongside Wyoming state law
Category
Details
Rental Registration
Wyoming has no state-level landlord licensing. Neither Basin, Lovell, nor Greybull requires blanket rental registration for long-term residential rentals. Code enforcement is complaint-driven. Wyoming lodging tax applies to short-term rental gross revenue.
Rent Control
None. Wyoming has no rent control anywhere in the state. Big Horn County rents are among the most affordable in Wyoming, reflecting modest incomes and limited demand. Month-to-month rent increases require one full rental period’s written notice.
Security Deposit
No statutory cap in Wyoming. Must disclose in writing if any portion is nonrefundable. Return within 30 days of termination/eviction OR 15 days after receiving forwarding address (whichever later); extended 30 days if damages. No interest required. Utility deposit: return within 10 days of proof utilities paid. Standard practice in this market is 1 month’s rent.
Rural Market Character
Big Horn County is genuinely rural. The rental market is small, dominated by single-family homes and modest duplexes serving agricultural workers, mining employees, and government/school district staff. Vacancy periods between tenants can be longer than in urban Wyoming markets simply because the pool of qualified applicants is smaller. Relationship-based landlording — knowing your tenant, maintaining the property, and working through issues before they escalate — is the norm and the most effective approach in markets of this size.
Agricultural Worker Tenants
A meaningful share of Big Horn County’s rental market serves agricultural workers, including seasonal laborers during sugar beet harvest and planting seasons (primarily spring and fall). Landlords with properties in Lovell and the northern basin should be aware of seasonal employment patterns. Year-round farmhands and ranch workers associated with established operations represent a more stable tenant segment. For seasonal agricultural workers, use written leases specifying the term clearly; do not rely on month-to-month arrangements that may leave a unit vacant at the end of harvest season.
Wyoming Retirement Center
The Wyoming Retirement Center, a state-operated nursing home in Basin, is one of the county’s most reliable institutional employers. Its employees — nursing staff, aides, administrative workers, facilities personnel — are state government workers with stable employment, benefits, and community ties. For Basin landlords, WRC employees represent some of the most dependable tenants available in this small market.
Late Fees & Entry
No statutory cap on late fees; must be in lease. No mandatory grace period. No statutory landlord entry notice requirement — specify 24-hour notice in your lease. No self-help eviction, lockout, or utility shutoff permitted. Domestic violence is an affirmative defense to eviction.
Wyoming FED Eviction Process
Evictions are Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED) proceedings filed in the Fifth Judicial District Court (420 W. C St, Basin). After serving appropriate notice, the landlord files a FED complaint. Upon judgment, the court issues a Writ of Restitution. Only the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office may enforce the eviction. No self-help eviction permitted.
Wyo. Stat. §§ 1-21-1001–1016 and 1-21-1201–1211 — notice requirements and landlord rights applicable in Big Horn County
⚡ Quick Overview
3
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
3 (all violations)
Days Notice (Violation)
14-30
Avg Total Days
$$70
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type3-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit
Notice Period3 days
Tenant Can Cure?Yes - tenant can pay all rent within 3-day notice period to stop eviction
Days to Hearing3-10 (summons sets return day for hearing; typically within days of filing) days
Days to Writ0-30 days after judgment (court determines; Writ of Restitution issued) days
Total Estimated Timeline14-30 days
Total Estimated Cost$150-350
⚠️ Watch Out
3-day notice for nonpayment. No statutory grace period. Very landlord-friendly state with fast process. Notice must be in writing and left with tenant in person or at usual place of abode. After 3 days, landlord files FED complaint with circuit court ($70 filing fee). Summons sets return day (hearing date). If landlord wins: court issues Writ of Restitution giving tenant 0-30 days to vacate (court discretion - better chance of more time if tenant attends trial). If tenant doesn't attend = likely immediate writ. After writ: only sheriff can physically remove. Landlord can remove property and leave it outside after sheriff executes writ. No statutory cap on security deposits. Lease must state if any deposit portion is nonrefundable. Safe Homes Act: DV victims can break lease with 30 days notice + protection order.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Circuit Court - Forcible Entry and Detainer (WS § 1-21-1001 to 1-21-1016). Pay the filing fee (~$$70).
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 Wyoming 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 Wyoming 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.
Basin (county seat, “Lilac City,” Wyoming Retirement Center) + Lovell (sugar beets, Bighorn Canyon NRA) + Greybull (bentonite mining). Oil & gas, agriculture, ranching, tourism. Small rural market — stable, affordable. Mountain Time. FED in 5th District Court, Basin. No deposit cap. 3-day notices; 30-day M-t-M. No WY income tax. Sheriff enforces.
Big Horn County
Screen Before You Sign
Best profiles: Wyoming Retirement Center staff, BHCSD teachers & staff, county/state government workers, established mining/oil&gas employees (verify employer stability). Agricultural workers: distinguish year-round from seasonal — use term leases for seasonal. Income at 3x rent. Small community = word-of-mouth references carry real weight here. Run WY court records.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Big Horn County, Wyoming
Big Horn County is quintessential northern Wyoming — a wide basin flanked by mountain ranges, its communities small and self-sufficient, its economy rooted in the land and what lies beneath it. For landlords, this county represents a low-velocity, low-complexity market: acquisition prices are modest, rents are affordable by Wyoming standards, and the tenant pool is stable if not large. This is not a county where investors chase appreciation or ride commodity booms; it is a county where patient, relationship-focused landlords provide an essential service to a rural community and generate steady returns on low-cost assets.
The Three-Community Market
Basin, Lovell, and Greybull each have distinct characters. Basin, the county seat and home to the Wyoming Retirement Center, is the government and services hub, with public-sector employment providing the most stable tenant base. Lovell, the county’s largest city and the agricultural heart of the northern basin, draws sugar beet farmers, irrigation workers, and families connected to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a significant community presence in Lovell). Greybull is the county’s energy and mining center, with bentonite operations and oil and gas service companies providing employment. Each community has a distinct tenant mix, and landlords operating across multiple Big Horn County communities should calibrate their screening and lease terms accordingly.
Bentonite: Wyoming’s Hidden Mineral Economy
Wyoming produces more bentonite than any other state — an estimated 70% of U.S. supply — and Big Horn County’s Greybull area is one of the core production zones. Bentonite, a versatile clay mineral with dozens of industrial applications (drilling muds, foundry sands, cat litter, environmental containment liners, pharmaceuticals), provides stable long-term employment that is meaningfully different in character from the boom-bust cycles of oil and natural gas. Bentonite demand is broadly diversified across multiple industries and global markets, making bentonite mining employment more recession-resistant than most Wyoming extractive industries. For landlords near Greybull, bentonite mine and processing plant employees are among the county’s most stable long-term tenant prospects.
Big Horn County landlord-tenant matters are governed by Wyo. Stat. §§ 1-21-1001–1016 and 1-21-1201–1211. Nonpayment: 3-Day Notice to Pay or Quit. Lease violation (curable): 3-Day Notice to Cure or Quit. Illegal activity / non-curable: 3-Day Unconditional Notice to Quit. Month-to-month termination: 30-Day Written Notice. Security deposit: no statutory cap; disclose if any portion nonrefundable; return within 30 days of termination/eviction or 15 days after receiving forwarding address (whichever later); extended 30 days if damages. Utility deposit: return within 10 days. No rent control. No just-cause eviction. No self-help eviction; no lockout; no utility shutoff. Sheriff-only enforcement. No WY income tax. Court: Fifth Judicial District Court, 420 W. C St, Basin, WY 82410 (PO Box 670); phone (307) 568-2381. Hours Mon–Fri 8am–5pm MT. Last updated: May 2026.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Big Horn County, Wyoming and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with a licensed Wyoming attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: May 2026.
