Callahan County, Texas Eviction Risk: Low

Callahan County sits in the rolling mesquite country of West-Central Texas, about 35 miles east of Abilene along Interstate 20. With a total population of roughly 6,624 and a renter share of 28.8%, this is a small, owner-dominated market where most landlords manage a handful of single-family homes rather than large apartment complexes. The county's eviction risk score of 3.4/10 (Low) places it 179th of 254 Texas eviction laws counties - inside the lower-risk band - meaning 178 counties statewide carry more tenant-risk pressure than Callahan does. For landlords accustomed to tighter urban markets, that is a meaningful structural advantage.

The four tracked cities inside the county tell a consistent story. Clyde, the county's most populous community at 3,954 residents, scores 3.4/10 - the highest point in the county and the figure that nudges the overall average toward the top of its current range of 3.1 to 3.4. Baird, the county seat at 1,642 residents, and Cross Plains (1,019 residents) both score 3.2/10 and 3.4/10 respectively, tracking closely with the county average. Tiny Putnam, with only 9 counted residents, scores 3.1/10, the lowest reading in the county - a figure that reflects the near-absence of rental market activity rather than any distinctive legal protection. Rent averages $873 per month across the county, and the average renter carries a rent burden of 28.9%, which is below the 30% threshold commonly used to define cost stress. A poverty rate of 13.6% is worth monitoring, since income instability at that level can translate into non-payment filings even in otherwise quiet markets.

Texas law sets the baseline rules that apply uniformly across all 254 counties. Under Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005, landlords must serve a 3-day notice to vacate before filing any eviction - whether the cause is non-payment, a lease violation, or a holdover tenancy. The one exception is unauthorized occupants (squatters), where Tex. Prop. Code § 24.011 (as added by SB-38) permits immediate action with no waiting period. Court filing fees in Callahan County justice courts run $54 to $125, and sheriff lockout fees add another $50 to $175 if a writ of possession is needed. Uncontested cases typically close in 21 to 30 days; contested matters can run 45 to 90 days depending on docket load. Critically for portfolio planning, Texas preempts all local rent control under TX Local Gov Code §214.902, so no city within Callahan County can impose a rent cap - landlords retain full pricing flexibility.

Callahan County's Low risk profile reflects a combination of structural factors: a small, low-density rental market, no local rent control authority (state preemption is absolute under TX Local Gov Code §214.902), no just-cause eviction requirement, and a tenant population whose average rent burden of 28.9% stays just under the financial-stress threshold. The score spread of 3.1 to 3.4 across the county's four cities is narrow, signaling that conditions are fairly uniform regardless of which community a landlord operates in.