Duval County, Texas Eviction Risk: Low

Duval County sits in the brush country of deep South Texas, roughly 60 miles north of Laredo. With a total population near 3,771 and only four incorporated places, it is one of the least-dense rental markets in the state. The county's eviction-risk score of 3.4/10 (Low) places it 164th of 254 Texas eviction laws counties on our index, where rank 1 represents the highest risk and the lowest landlord-friendliness. In practical terms, 163 Texas eviction laws counties carry more eviction risk than Duval, while only 90 sit below it. That puts Duval firmly in the middle of the state.

Scores across the county's four cities run from a low of 3.1/10 in Benavides (3.4/10) to a high of 3.4/10 in Freer (3.4/10), a spread of less than half a point that reflects how consistently landlord-friendly the county's legal and economic environment is. Freer, with 2,253 residents, is the county seat and its largest rental market; Benavides, home to roughly 1,470 people, is the second city of consequence. Realitos (3.2/10) and Concepcion (3.1/10) are unincorporated-scale communities with populations under 50. Landlords active in any of these towns are working within the same county courthouse and the same state statutory framework, so the score differences between cities trace mostly to local economic and demographic signals rather than to different legal regimes.

The underlying economics tell a consistent story. Average asking rent in Duval County runs around $790 per month, well below the statewide average, and the average rent burden sits at just 16.2% of household income -- among the lowest rent-to-income ratios in Texas eviction laws. Roughly 36.6% of households are renters, and the poverty rate of 17% is elevated relative to the state overall. That combination -- affordable rents, high poverty, thin rental inventory -- tends to compress eviction activity: tenants face less financial pressure from rent itself, but also have fewer alternatives when disputes arise. The statewide comparison is worth noting: Duval's 3.4/10 sits well below the 3.6 average for Texas eviction laws, reinforcing its position as a landlord-favorable market on the risk dimension.

Texas operates under Tex. Prop. Code § 91 and § 92, which set a uniform 3-day notice period for non-payment, lease violations, and holdover situations statewide. Duval County landlords file through the local Justice of the Peace court, where filing fees range from $54 to $125. Uncontested matters typically resolve in 21-30 days; contested cases can extend to 45-90 days. Sheriff lockout fees add $50-$175 after a judgment, and attorney fees for a full eviction run $500-$3,500 depending on complexity. Texas eviction laws law (TX Local Gov Code §214.902) bars any local government from enacting rent control, so Duval County has no local rent ordinances that could alter the statewide framework. No just-cause requirement applies, and source-of-income is not a protected class under Texas eviction laws fair housing rules.