Estimated values: The U.S. Census suppresses field-level data for small places. Estimated from constituent census tracts, pop-weighted from real underlying ACS data.
Tenant beats landlord
10.8%
/ 100 outcomes
In court-decided eviction outcomes for Rio Grande City, TX, tenants prevail in roughly 10.8% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
27d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Rio Grande City, TX until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 27 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.1-3.4k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Rio Grande City, TX costs landlords $1,074 to $3,421 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$767
32% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Rio Grande City, TX is $767 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 32% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
30.6%
of households
30.6% of occupied housing units in Rio Grande City, TX are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
36.5%
6.3% unemp.
36.5% of Rio Grande City, TX residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 6.3%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
GOP margin +16.0% (2024)
5.7
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
5.7
State political climate
Texas legislature & governorship
1.5
Economic stress
36.5% poverty · 6.3% unemp.
5.7
Supply constraint
$767 average · 30.6% renters
4.0
Rent Control risk
31.5% of income on rent
1.0
Eviction process difficulty
27 days filing → judgment
1.9
Tenant organizing strength
30.6% renters
2.3
Housing court bias
County bench composition
1.8
Geographic context
Risk heat across Rio Grande City and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Rio Grande City compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Starr County
Very Low
#108of 113 cities
#108 of 113 cities in Starr County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Texas
Very Low
#1573of 1,841 cities
#1573 of 1,841 cities in Texas for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
1.5
/ 10 · VERY LOW
The verdict
A Very low-tier market.
Composite 1.5/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend-0.5 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
27d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $767/mo. A contested eviction takes 27 days and costs $1,074-$3,421 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
30.6%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 15,396 residents, 30.6% rent. 32% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 36.5% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
5.7
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 5.7 and 5.7 (GOP margin +16.0% (2024)). State climate at 1.5, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
1.5
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 1.5/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 1.9, housing court bias 1.8, rent-control risk 1. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.1 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
5.7
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 5.7. Supply constraint: 4. The numbers behind those: 36.5% poverty, 6.3% unemployment, 32% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Rio Grande City sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Rio Grande City · 27d · ~$2.2k all-in ($83/day) · score 1.5National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0-4 4-7 7-10
Landlording in Rio Grande City, Texas, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 1.5/10 (VERY LOW tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Rio Grande City is a city of 15,396 residents where 30.6% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 31.5% of income on rent. At an average rent of $767/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Rio Grande City eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 1.9/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Rio Grande City closes 27 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Rio Grande City's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 1.8/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Rio Grande City runs $1,074 to $3,421 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1-2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 27 days of typical timeline and $767/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 2.3/10 in Rio Grande City, and the city has limited rent control exposure (1/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In Texas, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Rio Grande City: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a VERY LOW tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match Texas's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $3,421 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Rio Grande City
Trap · PRACTICAL TRAP
Compare Rio Grande City to neighboring cities in Starr County via the grid below. The 2.5/10 score is computed from nine sub-factors plus a state-law multiplier under Property Code Chapter 24. Starr County 2020 presidential margin: D+5. Cross-reference the state overview link in the guides section for Texas statutory detail.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What if my tenant claims a maintenance issue for not paying rent?
In Texas, tenants generally cannot withhold rent for maintenance issues unless they follow specific procedures, like giving written notice and allowing a reasonable time for repairs. Even then, they might be allowed to "repair and deduct" but not simply stop paying. If they claim this, stick to your eviction timeline for non-payment. Address the repair issue separately, but don't let it derail your rent collection process.
Q2
How quickly can I change the locks after an eviction?
After a judge issues a Writ of Possession and the constable executes it, you can change the locks immediately. The constable will oversee the lockout, ensuring the tenant and their property are removed. Once that's done, the property is legally back in your possession.
Q3
Can I evict a tenant for having unauthorized occupants?
Yes, if your lease explicitly prohibits unauthorized occupants or specifies who can reside in the property. This would typically fall under a lease violation, requiring a 3-day notice to cure the violation or quit. If they don't comply, you can proceed with an eviction based on the lease breach.
Q4
What's the best way to screen tenants in Rio Grande City?
Focus on a comprehensive approach: credit history, criminal background, eviction history, and most verified rental references. Call past landlords, not just the current one, to get an unbiased view of their payment habits and how they maintained the property. Don't just rely on credit scores; verify income and employment.
Q5
Is "cash for keys" legal in Texas?
Absolutely. "Cash for keys" is a legal and often smart strategy. It's a voluntary agreement where you pay a tenant to move out quickly and leave the property in good condition. Get the agreement in writing, specifying the payment amount, move-out date, and condition of the property. It can save you significant time and legal fees compared to a contested eviction.
A 1.5/10 places Rio Grande City in the 19th percentile of Texas cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has climbed steadily since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Cities with similar eviction risk to Rio Grande City (1.5/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
