In court-decided eviction outcomes for Hutto, TX, tenants prevail in roughly 18.8% 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
24d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Hutto, TX until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 24 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.1-3.3k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Hutto, TX costs landlords $1,062 to $3,311 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$2,255
24% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Hutto, TX is $2,255 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 24% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
20.4%
of households
20.4% of occupied housing units in Hutto, 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
6.6%
4.2% unemp.
6.6% of Hutto, TX residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 4.2%. 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 +2.5% (2024)
5.6
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
5.6
State political climate
Texas legislature & governorship
1.5
Economic stress
6.6% poverty · 4.2% unemp.
4.9
Supply constraint
$2,255 average · 20.4% renters
7.2
Rent Control risk
24.3% of income on rent
3.5
Eviction process difficulty
24 days filing → judgment
1.2
Tenant organizing strength
20.4% renters
4.8
Housing court bias
County bench composition
3.7
Geographic context
Risk heat across Hutto and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Hutto compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Williamson County
Very High
#1of 17 cities
#1 of 17 cities in Williamson County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Texas
Very High
#39of 1,841 cities
#39 of 1,841 cities in Texas for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
3.9
/ 10 · LOW
The verdict
A Low-tier market.
Composite 3.9/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a slow, steady climb.
50-yr trend+1.8 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steady ratchet · no large swings
24d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $2,255/mo. A contested eviction takes 24 days and costs $1,062-$3,311 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
20.4%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 35,483 residents, 20.4% rent. 24% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 6.6% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
5.6
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 5.6 and 5.6 (GOP margin +2.5% (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 1.2, housing court bias 3.7, rent-control risk 3.5. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-3.8 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
4.9
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 4.9. Supply constraint: 7.2. The numbers behind those: 6.6% poverty, 4.2% unemployment, 24% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Hutto sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Hutto · 24d · ~$2.2k all-in ($91/day) · score 3.9National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0-4 4-7 7-10
Landlording in Hutto, Texas, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 3.9/10 (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.
Hutto is a city of 35,483 residents where 20.4% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 24.3% of income on rent. At an average rent of $2,255/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 Hutto eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 1.2/10, 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 Hutto closes 24 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 Hutto's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 3.7/10 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 Hutto runs $1,062 to $3,311 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 24 days of typical timeline and $2,255/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 4.8/10 in Hutto, and the city has limited rent control exposure (3.5/10). 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 Hutto: 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 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 $3,311 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Hutto
Trap · 3.5/10
The 4.7/10 score weighs nine sub-factors including political climate, court bias, supply constraint, and tenant organizing strength. Hutto's rent-control-risk sub-score is 3.5/10, driven by state preemption and market dynamics.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What's the absolute fastest I can get a tenant out for non-payment in Hutto?
With the 3-day notice and a typical 21-day court process, you're looking at around 24 days from the date the 3-day notice expires until the Writ of Possession is issued. However, any delays in court, tenant appeals, or issues with service can extend this. This is the ideal timeline, not a guarantee.
Q2
Can I turn off utilities if my Hutto tenant isn't paying rent?
Absolutely not. In Texas, it is illegal for a landlord to cut off utilities (water, electricity, gas) as a means to evict a tenant. This is considered a "self-help" eviction and can result in significant penalties, including owing the tenant damages, a civil penalty, and attorney fees. Always follow the legal eviction process.
Q3
Do I need an attorney for an eviction in Hutto Justice Court?
You are not legally required to have an attorney for a Justice Court eviction in Texas. However, an attorney experienced in landlord-tenant law can ensure all paperwork is filed correctly, represent you effectively in court, and navigate any unexpected issues. For many landlords, the peace of mind and time saved are worth the cost.
Q4
What if my Hutto tenant damages the property during the eviction?
You can deduct the cost of damages beyond normal wear and tear from their security deposit. Make sure you have clear documentation (photos, move-in checklist, repair estimates). If the damages exceed the deposit, you can sue the tenant in small claims court for the additional amount, though collecting on such a judgment can be difficult.
Q5
Is there rent control in Hutto, TX?
No, Texas state law prohibits rent control. This means landlords in Hutto are generally free to set rent prices and increase them as market conditions allow, provided they give proper notice as outlined in the lease agreement and state law. See Texas rent control rules for more.
Q6
Can a Hutto tenant stop an eviction by paying rent after the 3-day notice?
Yes, if the tenant pays the full amount of rent due, plus any applicable late fees, within the 3-day notice period, you generally cannot proceed with the eviction for non-payment. Once the 3-day period expires, you are not obligated to accept partial payment or payment after the deadline, and you can proceed with filing the eviction suit.
A 3.9/10 places Hutto in the 98th 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.
Neighborhoods in Hutto (1 with eviction-risk data)
Click a neighborhood to see its pop-weighted score, constituent census tracts, and demographics. Sorted by population.
