Taylor County, Texas Eviction Risk: Low

Taylor County's average eviction-risk score of 2.6/10 (Low) places it squarely in the middle third of Texas, with 127 of the state's 254 counties scoring higher and 126 scoring lower. For landlords and investors, that middle-of-the-pack position translates to operating conditions that are generally workable: a landlord-favorable legal framework, a population of 138,107, and average rents of $1,156 per month across the county's 9 incorporated cities.

The bigger story, though, is the spread within the county. Individual city scores range from 1.8 to 3.1, a gap wide enough to matter when underwriting a deal. Abilene anchors the low end while several small outlying communities push the ceiling, so the county average alone should not drive a purchase or management decision. With an average rent-burden rate of 30.8% and a renter share of 41.8%, demand for rental housing is real, but tenant financial stress is something landlords here need to keep in view.

The cities inside Taylor County

Abilene eviction risk dominates the county both by size and by landlord-friendliness. At a population of 128,053 and a risk score of 1.8/10, it accounts for the vast majority of the county's rental stock and is the lowest-risk city in the group. Investors concentrating their portfolios in Abilene are operating in one of the more stable rental markets in the region.

The picture shifts considerably in the smaller communities. Buffalo Gap scores 3.1/10, the highest in the county, followed by Tuscola at 3/10 (population 990). Merkel (population 2,699), Tye, and Lawn each score 2.9/10, and Potosi (population 4,322) sits at 2.8/10. These towns carry meaningfully higher risk profiles than Abilene despite being just a short drive away, a reminder that eviction risk is hyper-local and that county averages can obscure real differences at the street level.

State-level laws that apply here

All landlords in Taylor County operate under Texas state law, specifically Tex. Prop. Code SS 91 and SS 92 (Residential Tenancies). Texas is one of the more landlord-friendly states on notice requirements: for non-payment of rent, lease violations, end-of-lease holdovers, and habitually delinquent tenants, the required notice period is just 3 days. Unauthorized occupants and squatters carry a 0-day notice requirement under Tex. Prop. Code SS 24.011 as added by SB-38. Understanding the Texas eviction process is straightforward compared to many other states: no just-cause requirement applies and Texas state law preempts any local attempt at rent control under TX Local Gov Code SS 214.902, so landlords face no patchwork of municipal restrictions.

When a filing does become necessary, the Texas eviction costs add up quickly. Court filing fees run $54 to $125, sheriff lockout fees range from $50 to $175, and attorney fees typically fall between $500 and $3,500 depending on complexity. An uncontested case generally resolves in 21 to 30 days; a contested matter can stretch to 45 to 90 days. Source-of-income status is not a protected class under Texas state law, giving landlords standard screening flexibility. The Texas security deposit limits and retaliation protections (Tex. Prop. Code SS 92.331) are the main tenant-side constraints landlords should have in hand before signing leases.

Taylor County's average poverty rate of 14.3% is worth tracking as a forward-looking indicator of tenant financial stability; the city grid above breaks that pressure down to the community level so you can compare Abilene eviction risk's low-risk profile against the higher-scoring smaller cities before committing capital.