King County, Texas Eviction Risk: Low

King County, Texas is one of the most sparsely populated counties in the state, with a total population of just 156 residents concentrated almost entirely in the county seat of Guthrie. Despite its small size, landlords operating here benefit from the same landlord-favorable legal framework that governs all of Texas eviction laws -- and King County's eviction risk score of 3.4/10 (Low) reflects that environment directly. The county ranks 168th of 254 Texas eviction laws counties on eviction risk, placing it firmly in the middle tier statewide. That ranking means 167 counties carry higher risk than King County, while only 86 are rated even more landlord-friendly.

The rental market here is compact but real. Roughly 51.9% of King County residents rent, a share that is surprisingly high given the total population, and the average rent runs approximately $1,434 per month. Rent burden sits at 31.3% of household income on average -- above the commonly cited 30% affordability threshold -- which can put individual tenants under financial strain. The poverty rate of 20.6% adds to that pressure. Those household economics are part of what the Eviction Risk Map model weighs when assigning county-level scores: markets where a greater share of renters are cost-burdened can see higher rates of non-payment events, even where the legal environment is landlord-favorable. Guthrie, the county's only incorporated place, carries a risk score of 3.4/10, consistent with the county average. Because Guthrie is both the largest and the only city in the county, the county score and the city score move together.

Texas law under Tex. Prop. Code § 91 and § 92 sets the baseline for every landlord-tenant relationship in King County. The state requires only a 3-day notice before filing for eviction in all standard cases -- non-payment of rent (whether first-time or habitual), lease violations, end-of-term holdovers, and unauthorized occupants (who under SB-38 can receive immediate removal proceedings). Texas also preempts local rent control under TX Local Gov Code §214.902, meaning no city or county in the state, including Guthrie, can impose rent caps. There is no just-cause eviction requirement and no source-of-income protection under state law, giving landlords in King County broad discretion in tenant selection and lease management. The fair housing authority for complaints is the Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division.

King County's 3.4/10 score reflects a market where strong state-level landlord protections offset modest financial stress among renters. Court filing fees run $54 to $125, sheriff lockout fees add $50 to $175, and an uncontested eviction typically resolves in 21 to 30 days -- a fast, low-cost process by any national standard. That procedural efficiency is a key driver of the county's Low risk designation.