Johnson County, Texas Eviction Risk: Very Low

Johnson County carries an average eviction-risk score of 2.2/10 (Low) across its 14 cities, which on its face reads as landlord-friendly territory in Texas eviction laws. The county's rank of 41 of 254 tells a more sobering story, though: only 40 Texas counties score higher risk, placing Johnson County in the higher-risk third of the state. Landlords should weigh that context before assuming smooth sailing. Across the county, scores range from 1.8 to 3.1, a spread wide enough that operating conditions vary sharply depending on which city a rental sits in.

Fundamentals here are middling. Average rent runs $1,482 per month, the average rent-burden rate is 31% of income, and roughly 31.7% of residents are renters. An average poverty rate of 11% adds some pressure on tenant cash flow. None of these figures signal a distressed market, but they do mean landlords cannot simply assume low risk because the county label says "Low."

The cities inside Johnson County

The highest-risk spots in the county are Keene (3.1/10, population 6,691) and Joshua (3/10, population 8,550), followed closely by Grandview and Rio Vista, each at 2.9/10. These four cities sit materially above the county average and warrant tighter screening and lease enforcement practices. Cross Timber (2.8/10) and Alvarado (2.7/10, population 6,307) round out the elevated tier.

At the other end of the spectrum, Cleburne, the county's second-largest city at 34,344 residents, carries the lowest score in the county at 1.8/10, a notably calmer operating environment. Venus scores 2.1/10, and Burleson, the largest city at 52,918 residents, sits at 2.6/10. Risk is genuinely hyper-local here: Keene and Cleburne are a short drive apart yet differ by 1.3 points on the same scale. Investors underwriting across multiple Johnson County addresses should score each city individually rather than relying on the county average.

State-level laws that apply here

Texas eviction laws eviction law under Tex. Prop. Code SS 91 and SS 92 moves relatively quickly compared to other states. For non-payment of rent, landlords must serve a 3-day notice to vacate before filing, whether the tenant is a first-time or habitual delinquent. Lease violations and holdover tenancies also require only a 3-day notice. Squatters or unauthorized occupants may be removed without any notice period under Tex. Prop. Code SS 24.011 as added by SB-38. An uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 30 days; a contested case runs 45 to 90 days. Court filing fees range from $54 to $125, sheriff lockout fees from $50 to $175, and attorney fees from $500 to $3,500, so total out-of-pocket cost can range from roughly $604 to $3,800 on the low end of attorney involvement alone. Landlords planning to self-represent should review the full Texas eviction laws eviction process before filing.

Texas eviction laws requires no just cause to terminate a tenancy and imposes no rent control, with state law expressly preempting local rent-control ordinances under TX Local Gov Code SS 214.902. That combination gives landlords meaningful flexibility on lease renewals and rent adjustments. Source-of-income status is not a protected class under state fair housing rules. For details on what landlords may charge upfront and how those funds must be handled, see the Texas security deposit limits guide. The Texas eviction laws Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division, handles fair housing complaints statewide.

With an average poverty rate of 11% and roughly 31.7% of residents renting, the county's baseline stress indicators are manageable but real, and risk concentrates in specific cities rather than spreading evenly across Johnson County; use the city grid above to compare addresses before committing capital.