Landlord vs. Tenant
State Rankings Index

Many states feature a formal tenant/landlord act covering standard protections, penalties, and enforcement. However, how far these protections go still varies considerably. State governments can still provide core protections without a specific act — some states have strong protections without one, while others with formal legislation have more limited protections.

Note: Strength and extent of protections are given priority over whether a formal act exists.

Most states don't have rent control laws and in fact preempt local governments from passing them. However, county and city-level programs cover the vast majority of tenants under rent control, especially in large cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle.

Note: City-level programs in large, influential cities can represent large percentages of a state's total renter population.

Common regulatory requirements are mandated at the state level, but many come from county or city governments. Since populations are concentrated in urban areas, local-level ordinances still have a major impact. Most burdens fall on landlords (documentation, building codes), while tenant burdens may include passed costs, screening rules, and appeal restrictions.

Includes filing paperwork, lawyers' fees, and soft costs like cleanup. Lost rent is the costliest unknown, most impactful in states with longer timelines. An uncontested eviction in landlord-friendly states may cost a few hundred dollars, while a contested eviction in tenant-friendly states could exceed $10,000.

Note: These baselines assume filing/sheriff costs for a simple, uncontested eviction. Judicial backlogs, lawyer fees, and average rent prices all impact final costs.

Long, complicated evictions mean higher court costs and months of lost rent. Regulatory burdens like dispute mediation or longer notice periods also extend the timeline. The shortest evictions average 3–6 weeks, while the most tenant-friendly states can stretch to 3 or 4 months.

Note: Sheriff availability and court scheduling delays mean every eviction is different. Timelines could be shorter or longer than these ranges.

Landlords must notify tenants of payment or lease violations before starting eviction proceedings. Nearly all states require longer notice for lease violations (2–4 weeks) than for nonpayment (as few as 3–5 days). A couple of states don't require any notice, allowing eviction proceedings to start the next day.

Note: Eviction notice periods are given priority over lease violation periods. Notices to terminate tenancies are not the same as notices to cure/pay or quit.

We use effective property tax rates because there are significant differences between rural and urban counties, and many counties only tax a percentage of property value. This helps illustrate how property value vs. the actual rate affects the total tax burden landlords face.

Note: Most rental units are in urban areas with higher average rates. States with no property tax are evaluated by other tax burdens like income tax.

The required possession period varies widely — from as few as 5 years with color of title to as many as 60 years on restricted land plots. While the typical trespasser scenario is well known, these laws also protect tenants and reestablish property lines in legitimate situations.

Note: Some states offer no exceptions, while others feature steep reductions (50%+) in possession requirements when the occupier has color of title or pays property taxes.

Covers both how much landlords can hold and return windows. A maximum of 1–2 months' rent is common, though many states don't enforce a formal cap — instead, "unreasonable" deposits can be contested. Tenant-friendly states may require deposits be kept in interest-bearing accounts.

Note: Deposit caps and return windows are prioritized over holding rules. Some states offer no caps but short return windows and vice versa.

Late fees are mostly dictated by lease terms, but tenants can contest "unreasonable" fees. When states enforce a cap, it's usually by percentage of rent or specific dollar amounts. Some states only enforce caps for mobile or manufactured homes.

Note: States offering both dollar amounts and percentages default to whichever is higher. Fixed fees are considered more tenant-friendly because inflation lessens their impact.