1 census tracts · pop 5,547 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 7.3/10
· range 7.3–7.3
Castle Forest is a one-tract neighborhood of San Marcos, TX and houses 5,547 people. The Eviction Risk Score is 7.3/10, in the Elevated tier. 46% are severely burdened, paying half their income or more in rent. That cohort has no absorption capacity for an unexpected bill, and it is where non-payment filings originate.
Cost burden runs 63% against 39.8% citywide, putting Castle Forest 23.4% over its own city. The strongest single driver of the headline number is tenant-organizing strength at 9.8/10.
On the softer side is supply constraint, at 1/10. The poverty rate is 34%. Judgments in high-poverty tracts are collectible far less often than the filing statistics suggest. 77% of occupied units are rented, so comparables are plentiful and vacancy risk is low, but a mispriced renewal loses the tenant to a building two streets over.
On the high side is rent-regulation exposure at 8.9/10. Average gross rent is $1,166, 12% below the San Marcos average of $1,322.
Among the 7 mapped neighborhoods of San Marcos, it ranks #1 by risk, the upper third. For a like-for-like read, East Guadalupe and Fairlawn score within a fraction of it. Annual rent works out to 29% of average household income of $48,214.
One tract means one number: 7.3/10 applies directly to any address inside the boundary. Scores move when the ACS release, the court-record feed, or the statute ledger behind them moves.
Risk score
7.3
Elevated
1 tracts · population-weighted
Castle Forest vs San MarcosHow this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average
Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+
Racial/ethnic minority61%ile
Hispanic + non-white share of population
Housing & transport85%ile
Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle
Frequently asked
About Castle Forest
Q1
What is the eviction-risk score for Castle Forest?
Castle Forest scores 7.3/10 (Elevated tier) across 1 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.
Q2
How does Castle Forest compare to San Marcos overall?
Castle Forest scores 1.4 points higher than San Marcos overall (5.9/10). Renters spend 63% of income on rent vs 40% citywide. Average rent: $1,166 vs $1,322.
Q3
What is the average rent in Castle Forest?
Average gross rent in Castle Forest is $1,166/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 63% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Q4
What percentage of Castle Forest residents are renters?
77% of Castle Forest households are renter-occupied (vs 69% in San Marcos). The neighborhood has 5,547 residents.
Q5
Is Castle Forest a high social-vulnerability area?
Castle Forest sits in the 40th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (less vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.
Q6
How safe is Castle Forest for landlords?
Castle Forest carries a elevated-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (7.3/10). Pop-weighted across 1 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to San Marcos as a whole (5.9/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.
Q7
What is the demographic breakdown of Castle Forest?
Castle Forest has 5,823 residents. Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (57%), Hispanic / Latino (36.1%), Other / Multiracial (3.9%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.
