Kleberg County, Texas Eviction Risk: Moderate

Kleberg County carries an average eviction-risk score of 4.3/10 (Moderate), placing it at rank 45 of 254 Texas counties, where rank 1 is the highest-risk. That position means 44 counties are riskier and 209 are more landlord-friendly, so Kleberg sits in the higher-risk third of the state despite its low absolute score. Across 3 cities and a total population of roughly 26,753, intra-county scores range from 1.9 to 2.4, a narrow band that still signals meaningful differences at street level. With an average renter share of 52.9% of households and an average poverty rate of 30.6%, landlords here should size their reserves for a tenant base under meaningful financial pressure, even though the legal and procedural environment in Texas eviction laws is comparatively straightforward.

Average rent in the county runs $1,038 per month, and renters commit an average of 28.8% of income to housing costs. That rent-burden level is not extreme, but when combined with the high poverty rate it points to a population with limited buffer against income shocks. Operators who underwrite carefully and manage proactively tend to fare far better here than those who rely on a low-risk score as a substitute for due diligence.

The cities inside Kleberg County

The county's risk is anchored almost entirely by Kingsville, the county seat and by far its largest city at a population of 24,994. Kingsville scores 4.4/10, matching the county average exactly, and accounts for the vast majority of the rental market. Because most of the county's landlord activity is concentrated there, the county-level number is effectively a Kingsville number, and investors should evaluate it on its own merits rather than treating the aggregate as a buffer.

The two smaller communities tell a different story. Riviera, with a population of 627, scores 3.2/10, and Ricardo, at 1,132 residents, scores 3.1/10, the lowest in the county. Both represent meaningfully lower risk profiles than Kingsville, though their rental markets are small enough that deal flow will be limited. The gap between Ricardo at 1.9 and Kingsville at 2.4 illustrates how hyper-local eviction risk can be even within a single county boundary. Investors evaluating a specific address should pull the city-level data rather than relying on the county average.

State-level laws that apply here

All three cities fall under Texas state law, specifically Tex. Prop. Code Section 91 and Section 92 (Residential Tenancies). Texas requires only a 3-day written notice before filing for non-payment of rent (whether the tenant is a first-time or habitual delinquent), lease violations, holdover situations, and end-of-term cases. Squatters or unauthorized occupants can be removed with no notice period under Tex. Prop. Code Section 24.011 as added by SB-38, which is one of the more landlord-favorable provisions in any state. The Texas eviction process from notice to final lockout takes 21 to 30 days uncontested and 45 to 90 days if the tenant contests, putting Texas well ahead of most states on speed.

On costs, budget for a court filing fee of $54 to $125, a sheriff lockout fee of $50 to $175, and attorney fees of $500 to $3,500 for a contested matter. Understanding Texas eviction costs in advance lets landlords decide when self-representation is viable and when counsel is worth the premium. Texas requires no just cause to terminate a tenancy, and state law preempts any local rent-control ordinance under TX Local Gov Code Section 214.902, so landlords face no patchwork of municipal rent caps across the county. For a full breakdown of tenant rights and notice requirements, the Texas tenant protections guide covers the retaliation statute (Tex. Prop. Code Section 92.331) and habitability rules (Tex. Prop. Code Section 92.052) that govern obligations on both sides of the lease.

With 30.6% of residents below the poverty line and renters comprising 52.9% of households, Kleberg County's low aggregate score reflects a forgiving legal framework more than an affluent tenant base; review the individual city scores for Kingsville, Riviera, and Ricardo above before committing capital to any specific submarket.