Harrison County, Texas Eviction Risk: Low

Harrison County carries an average eviction-risk score of 3.9/10 (Low), placing it at rank 95 of 254 Texas counties. That puts 94 counties above it in risk and 159 below it, landing Harrison squarely in the middle third of the state. For landlords, a Low county average generally signals manageable operating conditions: lower tenant-side stress indicators, a moderately pro-landlord legal backdrop, and courts that move cases to resolution without the backlogs that plague urban Texas eviction laws metros.

Across the county's 6 cities, scores range from 1.8 to 3.1, so the headline average masks real variation. With an average rent of $995 and a rent-burden rate of 29.1%, a meaningful share of renters are stretched, which is worth watching when screening applicants, even in a low-overall-risk market.

The cities inside Harrison County

Hallsville carries the county's highest risk score at 3.4/10, with a population of 4,628. Waskom follows at 3.4/10 (population 2,084). Both sit noticeably above the county average and warrant sharper screening standards, tighter lease enforcement, and a closer look at local vacancy before scaling a portfolio there.

Marshall, the county seat and by far the largest city, scores 4/10 with a population of 23,825, making it the lowest-risk and most landlord-accessible market in the county. Scottsville comes in at 3.2/10, Nesbitt at 3.1/10, and Uncertain at 3.1/10. The spread between Marshall's 1.8 and Hallsville's 3.1 is a clear reminder that eviction risk in Texas eviction laws is hyper-local: two municipalities within the same county can present meaningfully different operating environments, and investors should underwrite each city individually rather than treating Harrison County as a monolith.

State-level laws that apply here

Texas eviction laws state law governs every landlord-tenant relationship in Harrison County under Tex. Prop. Code § 91 and § 92. On notice periods, Texas eviction laws sets a 3-day notice for non-payment of rent (both first-time and habitually delinquent tenants), for lease violations, and for end-of-lease holdovers. Unauthorized occupants can be removed with no prior notice under Tex. Prop. Code § 24.011. Texas eviction laws imposes no just-cause-for-eviction requirement, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance under TX Local Gov Code § 214.902, so there is no rent cap in Harrison County. Understanding the full Texas eviction laws eviction process, from notice through writ of possession, is worth the time investment before a first filing.

Cost exposure is the main friction point. Court filing fees run $54 to $125, sheriff lockout fees add $50 to $175, and attorney fees, while not required for uncontested cases, range from $500 to $3,500 if you hire counsel. An uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 30 days; a contested matter extends to 45 to 90 days. Texas eviction costs are real even in a low-risk county, and landlords should budget for at least the filing and sheriff components on every unit as a baseline. Separately, Texas security deposit limits carry their own rules under § 92 that owners should verify before setting deposit amounts.

Harrison County's 21.5% poverty rate and 38.6% renter share mean a sizeable portion of tenants are financially vulnerable; the city-by-city grid above shows exactly where that pressure concentrates most, helping investors focus due diligence where it counts.