In court-decided eviction outcomes for La Porte, TX, tenants prevail in roughly 20.2% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
24d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in La Porte, TX until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 24 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.1-3.1k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in La Porte, TX costs landlords $1,114 to $3,073 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,378
38% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in La Porte, TX is $1,378 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 38% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
28.9%
of households
28.9% of occupied housing units in La Porte, TX are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
12.3%
4.8% unemp.
12.3% of La Porte, TX residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 4.8%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
Dem margin +5.5% (2024)
2.7
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
2.7
State political climate
Texas legislature & governorship
1.5
Economic stress
12.3% poverty · 4.8% unemp.
6.2
Supply constraint
$1,378 average · 28.9% renters
7.0
Rent Control risk
38.4% of income on rent
8.9
Eviction process difficulty
24 days filing → judgment
1.3
Tenant organizing strength
28.9% renters
6.2
Housing court bias
County bench composition
7.4
Geographic context
Risk heat across La Porte and the region
Click any city to see its score
How La Porte compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Harris County
Elevated
#14of 35 cities
#14 of 35 cities in Harris County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Texas
Very High
#123of 1,841 cities
#123 of 1,841 cities in Texas for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
3.5
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 3.5/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+1.6 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
24d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $1,378/mo. A contested eviction takes 24 days and costs $1,114-$3,073 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
28.9%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 36,730 residents, 28.9% rent. 38% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 12.3% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
2.7
Local + regional
The politics
Light-statute interior market.
Local & regional political climate score 2.7 and 2.7 (Dem margin +5.5% (2024)). State climate at 1.5, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
1.5
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 1.5/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 1.3, housing court bias 7.4, rent-control risk 8.9. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.7 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
6.2
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 6.2. Supply constraint: 7. The numbers behind those: 12.3% poverty, 4.8% unemployment, 38% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
La Porte sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
La Porte · 24d · ~$2.1k all-in ($87/day) · score 3.5National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0-4 4-7 7-10
Landlording in La Porte, Texas, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 3.5/10 (LOW tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
La Porte is a city of 36,730 residents where 28.9% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 38.4% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,378/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How La Porte eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 1.3/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in La Porte closes 24 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of La Porte's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 7.4/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in La Porte runs $1,114 to $3,073 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1-2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 24 days of typical timeline and $1,378/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 6.2/10 in La Porte, and the city sits at the top of the rent control risk spectrum (8.9/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In Texas, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in La Porte: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a LOW tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match Texas's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $3,073 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in La Porte
Trap · PRACTICAL TRAP
Cost-versus-timeline trade-off: at 24 days and roughly $3,073 on the high end, cash-for-keys at $1,229 to $1,843 typically beats the legal route for non-aggravated cases. Default judgment frequency is high under Property Code Chapter 24.
04Eviction filings
Live filings tracking · Eviction Lab
Princeton Eviction Lab Tracking System, county-level. Last update 2026-05-01.
In the most recent month, 6,061 eviction cases were filed across the tracker's coverage area, 1.01× the historical baseline (near baseline). Past 12 months: 77,115 filings. Pandemic-era cumulative: 405,783.
6,061Past month
77,115Past 12 months
1.01×vs baseline (past mo)
Notice requirement: at least three days notice (in some cases more). Filing fee: $139 filing fee in Harris County or $85 in Galveston.
Last 36 months of filings2023-05-01 - 2026-04-01
Filings stayed roughly flat over the past 12 months.
Source: Eviction Lab Tracking System, Princeton University. Open Data Commons Attribution license.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What are common landlord mistakes in La Porte evictions?
The most common mistakes are improperly serving the 3-day notice, accepting partial rent payments after the notice is given (which can restart the clock), and failing to show up to court with proper documentation. Don't try to lock out a tenant or shut off utilities; those are illegal self-help evictions and will get you into serious trouble.
Q2
Can I charge whatever I want for a security deposit in La Porte?
Texas law doesn't cap security deposits, so yes, you can set the amount. However, practically speaking, most landlords charge one to two months' rent. Charging significantly more might make your unit uncompetitive or scare off good tenants. Remember, you must return it within 30 days or provide an itemized list of deductions.
Q3
Is there rent control in La Porte, TX?
No, there is no rent control in La Porte or anywhere else in Texas. Texas has a statewide ban on rent control. This means you are generally free to set market rates for rent. For more details, see our Texas rent control rules.
Q4
Do I need a lawyer for an eviction in La Porte?
While you can represent yourself in Justice Court for an eviction, it's highly recommended to at least consult with an attorney. They understand the nuances of Texas Property Code and local court procedures. A small investment in legal advice can prevent costly delays or mistakes, especially if the tenant contests the eviction.
Q5
What if my tenant claims a maintenance issue to avoid paying rent?
Texas law (Tex. Prop. Code § 92) requires tenants to notify you in writing of maintenance issues. You then have a "reasonable time" (usually 7 days) to address it. If they don't follow this procedure, their claim might not hold up in court as a reason to withhold rent. Always address legitimate repair requests promptly to avoid escalating issues. For broader tenant protections, see our Texas tenant protections guide.
A 3.5/10 places La Porte in the 94th percentile of Texas cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has climbed steadily since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Neighborhoods in La Porte (2 with eviction-risk data)
Click a neighborhood to see its pop-weighted score, constituent census tracts, and demographics. Sorted by population.
