Kenedy County, Texas Eviction Risk: Very Low

Kenedy County, Texas eviction laws earns an average eviction-risk score of 1.2/10 (Low), placing it at rank 225 of 254 Texas counties, meaning 224 counties carry more landlord risk and only 29 are considered less risky. With just 1 city tracked and a total population of 92, this is one of the least-populated and operationally quietest markets in the state. Investors who prioritize a low-friction legal environment will find Kenedy County well within the landlord-friendly tier.

The intra-county score range runs from 1.2 to 1.2, which reflects the county's single incorporated locality rather than any meaningful spread in risk conditions. Average rent sits at $1,028 per month, and the average rent burden is 30.5% of household income. At those levels, the tenant population is not severely cost-stressed, which tends to correlate with lower default and dispute rates, a favorable signal for operators considering a buy-and-hold position here.

The cities inside Kenedy County

Sarita is the only tracked city in Kenedy County, with a population of 92 and a risk score of 1.2/10. There is no intra-county spread to navigate, so landlords evaluating the local market are essentially evaluating a single small market rather than a mosaic of neighborhoods with varying tenant-law exposure. Even within a county this compact, though, individual property conditions, lease terms, and tenant screening decisions drive outcomes more than any county-level average.

Risk in Texas is genuinely hyper-local. A city just across a county line can carry a score three or four points higher, so the proximity to Sarita's low-risk environment is no substitute for per-deal due diligence.

State-level laws that apply here

Under Tex. Prop. Code § 91 and § 92 (Residential Tenancies), Texas landlords can issue a 3-day notice to vacate for non-payment of rent, whether the tenant is a first-time delinquent (Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005(a-1)) or habitually delinquent (Tex. Prop. Code § 24.005(a)). The same 3-day notice applies to non-rent lease violations and holdover tenancies. For squatters or unauthorized occupants, no notice period is required under Tex. Prop. Code § 24.011, as added by SB-38. An uncontested case typically resolves in 21 to 30 days; contested matters run 45 to 90 days. Total out-of-pocket costs include a court filing fee of $54 to $125, a sheriff lockout fee of $50 to $175, and attorney fees of $500 to $3,500 depending on complexity. Understanding the full Texas eviction process before a dispute arises lets landlords act quickly rather than scramble. Texas imposes no just-cause requirement for terminating a tenancy and preempts any local rent-control ordinance under TX Local Gov Code § 214.902, so rent-stabilization risk is zero statewide. For a complete breakdown of what landlords spend on removals, see Texas eviction costs, and review Texas tenant protections to understand retaliation and habitability obligations under Tex. Prop. Code § 92.331 and § 92.052 before finalizing lease language.

With a poverty rate of 5.9% and a renter share of 34.1%, Kenedy County's tenant pool is small and relatively stable; the single city in the grid above, Sarita, captures the full picture of what landlords and investors will encounter on the ground here.