Cooke County, Texas Eviction Risk: Low

Cooke County, Texas eviction laws carries an average eviction-risk score of 1.8/10 (Low), placing it squarely in the middle third of all 254 Texas counties, ranked 133 of 254. That means 132 counties across the state carry more risk for landlords, and 121 are more landlord-friendly, so this is not a particularly alarming market, but it is not the easiest one either. Across the county's 7 cities, scores range from 1.7 to 2.6, which is a meaningful spread for a county of this size, and operators who pick locations carefully within Cooke County can land in noticeably better operating conditions than those who do not.

The county's average rent sits at $1,143 per month, with average rent burden at 27.4% of renter income. Roughly 37.1% of residents are renters, giving landlords a real tenant pool to work with. None of that changes the fact that local conditions vary by city, so the county average alone is not enough to base a buy or lease decision on.

The cities inside Cooke County

At the higher-risk end of the county, Muenster (population 1,329) and Road Runner (population 1,021) both score 2.6/10, the highest in Cooke County. Valley View (population 702) and Callisburg (population 459) follow at 2.4/10. These four communities make up a cluster where local market stress runs above the county average, and landlords operating there should plan their leasing and screening processes accordingly.

On the lower-risk end, Gainesville, the county seat and by far the largest city at 17,883 residents, scores 1.7/10, matching Lake Kiowa (population 2,476) at the same level. Myra comes in at 1.8/10. The gap between Gainesville's 1.7 and Muenster's 2.6 illustrates how hyper-local risk is inside a single county, a reason to evaluate each city on its own data rather than relying on county-wide averages.

State-level laws that apply here

Texas eviction laws state law governs every landlord-tenant relationship in Cooke County through Tex. Prop. Code § 91 and § 92. The notice periods here are landlord-favorable: non-payment of rent, lease violations, end-of-lease holdovers, and first-time or habitually delinquent tenants all require just a 3-day notice, while squatters and unauthorized occupants require no notice period at all under the SB-38 additions to Tex. Prop. Code § 24.011. Texas eviction laws does not require just cause for eviction, and state law preempts any local attempt at rent control under TX Local Gov Code § 214.902, so landlords face no local rent caps anywhere in the county. Understanding the full Texas eviction laws eviction process is worthwhile before initiating any action, since even fast-moving cases carry real costs.

On costs, the Texas eviction costs for an uncontested case can add up quickly: 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 complexity. An uncontested eviction typically resolves in 21 to 30 days, while a contested matter can stretch to 45 to 90 days. Texas security deposit limits and Texas tenant protections (including retaliation rules under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331 and habitability standards under § 92.052) are separately worth reviewing before drafting or renewing leases in Cooke County.

With a poverty rate averaging 18.4% across Cooke County and renters making up 37.1% of the population, the tenant base here carries moderate financial fragility, which means lease-up is generally achievable but tenant screening discipline remains important. The city-by-city grid above shows exactly where risk concentrates and where it stays low.