Cameron County, Texas Eviction Risk: Very Low

Cameron County carries an average eviction-risk score of 2.4/10 (Low), placing it at rank 43 of 254 Texas counties where rank 1 is the highest risk. That means 42 counties are riskier and 211 are more landlord-friendly, positioning Cameron County in the higher-risk third of the state. Across the county's 45 cities, scores range from 1.9 to 3.3, with an average asking rent of $932 and a renter-share of 37.2% of occupied units. Landlords here face a borderline market: the statewide framework is favorable, but local poverty dynamics, a 29.5% average rent-burden rate, and meaningful intra-county variation require careful city-level underwriting.

For investors accustomed to higher-rent Texas eviction laws metros, Cameron County's cost basis can look attractive. The modest rent figure and sizable renter population create deal flow, but a 24.7% average poverty rate signals elevated collection risk in weaker submarkets. Operating here rewards landlords who choose their specific city thoughtfully rather than buying on county-level averages alone.

The cities inside Cameron County

The highest-risk addresses in Cameron County are concentrated along the coast and in smaller inland communities. South Padre Island tops the list at 3.3/10, the county ceiling. San Benito (population 24,709) scores 3.2/10, and La Feria (population 6,891) follows at 3.1/10. Port Isabel, Olmito, and Solis each register 3.0/10. These communities sit in a noticeably different risk band than the county average and warrant conservative screening standards.

The county's anchors tell a different story. Brownsville, the largest city at 189,177 residents, scores only 2.1/10, the county's low alongside Laureles (2.1/10). Harlingen (population 72,087) sits at a moderate 2.6/10. That spread, more than a full point between the safest and riskiest cities, makes city selection the single most consequential decision an investor faces in this county. Risk here is genuinely hyper-local: neighboring communities can differ by 1.2 points or more.

State-level laws that apply here

The Texas eviction process is among the faster statutory frameworks in the South. Under Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005, the notice period for non-payment of rent, a lease violation, a holdover tenancy, or a habitually delinquent tenant is just 3 days. Squatters and unauthorized occupants can be removed with 0 days notice under Tex. Prop. Code § 24.011 as added by SB-38. An uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 30 days; a contested one in 45 to 90 days. There is no just-cause requirement to terminate a tenancy, and Texas state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance under TX Local Gov Code § 214.902, so landlords face no rent caps anywhere in the county.

Understanding Texas eviction costs is equally important for budgeting. Court filing fees run $54 to $125, sheriff lockout fees add $50 to $175, and attorney fees range from $500 to $3,500, depending on case complexity. Landlords should also consult the Texas security deposit limits and Texas tenant protections guides for the retaliation statute (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331) and habitability requirements (Tex. Prop. Code § 92.052), both of which apply county-wide regardless of city. Fair housing complaints are handled by the Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division.

With 24.7% of residents living below the poverty line and renters making up 37.2% of households, Cameron County's risk profile is shaped more by economic fragility than by an adverse legal environment. The city-by-city grid above breaks out scores for all 45 communities, giving landlords the granular view needed to separate low-risk markets like Brownsville from higher-risk ones like South Padre Island and San Benito.