Best Places to Buy Rental Property in Texas (2026)

We ranked all 98 Texas counties that have both a median home price and a median rent, ordered by the cap rate a median-priced rental would produce. Kleberg County leads at 8.0%, with a median price of $149,576.

Texas counties ranked by cap rate

#MarketCap rateMedian priceMedian rentCash flowAnalyze
1Kleberg County, TX8.0%$149,576$1,542$174Run numbers
2Howard County, TX7.9%$142,857$1,452$152Run numbers
3Taylor County, TX6.8%$228,744$1,995$29Run numbers
4Polk County, TX6.3%$174,922$1,411-$52Run numbers
5Hardin County, TX6.1%$230,858$1,817-$98Run numbers
6Wichita County, TX6.1%$169,452$1,325-$78Run numbers
7Potter County, TX6.0%$147,877$1,133-$83Run numbers
8Cameron County, TX5.8%$204,554$1,509-$152Run numbers
9Jefferson County, TX5.7%$176,616$1,290-$140Run numbers
10Hutchinson County, TX5.7%$125,678$913-$103Run numbers
11Titus County, TX5.6%$229,643$1,660-$193Run numbers
12San Patricio County, TX5.5%$206,055$1,451-$198Run numbers
13Orange County, TX5.3%$188,637$1,284-$210Run numbers
14Liberty County, TX5.3%$233,304$1,586-$261Run numbers
15Bowie County, TX5.3%$194,510$1,314-$223Run numbers
16Kaufman County, TX5.2%$292,707$1,958-$349Run numbers
17Anderson County, TX5.2%$215,774$1,441-$259Run numbers
18Angelina County, TX5.2%$198,763$1,321-$242Run numbers
19Val Verde County, TX5.1%$204,781$1,346-$260Run numbers
20El Paso County, TX5.1%$233,084$1,521-$302Run numbers
21Lamar County, TX5.1%$201,796$1,310-$266Run numbers
22Hopkins County, TX5.0%$255,721$1,642-$349Run numbers
23Nueces County, TX4.9%$225,135$1,420-$324Run numbers
24Burleson County, TX4.9%$271,930$1,714-$392Run numbers
25Ector County, TX4.9%$252,414$1,580-$371Run numbers
26Lubbock County, TX4.8%$214,560$1,330-$324Run numbers
27Waller County, TX4.8%$358,663$2,212-$549Run numbers
28Harrison County, TX4.8%$207,787$1,265-$329Run numbers
29Bee County, TX4.8%$166,566$1,015-$263Run numbers
30Navarro County, TX4.6%$227,542$1,354-$380Run numbers
31Hidalgo County, TX4.6%$188,974$1,119-$319Run numbers
32Caldwell County, TX4.6%$280,021$1,642-$484Run numbers
33Tom Green County, TX4.5%$227,293$1,319-$401Run numbers
34Harris County, TX4.5%$276,524$1,583-$503Run numbers
35Chambers County, TX4.5%$348,474$1,992-$636Run numbers
36Hill County, TX4.5%$229,092$1,307-$420Run numbers
37Rusk County, TX4.4%$211,254$1,203-$388Run numbers
38Hunt County, TX4.4%$271,566$1,541-$502Run numbers
39Guadalupe County, TX4.4%$293,039$1,657-$546Run numbers
40Bexar County, TX4.3%$250,969$1,393-$485Run numbers
41Brazoria County, TX4.3%$323,788$1,794-$627Run numbers
42Randall County, TX4.3%$261,974$1,446-$511Run numbers
43McLennan County, TX4.3%$257,622$1,416-$506Run numbers
44Limestone County, TX4.3%$178,567$983-$350Run numbers
45Dallas County, TX4.2%$304,821$1,653-$614Run numbers
46Victoria County, TX4.2%$216,406$1,169-$439Run numbers
47Fannin County, TX4.2%$282,735$1,523-$576Run numbers
48Maverick County, TX4.2%$215,361$1,156-$441Run numbers
49Bell County, TX4.2%$247,929$1,321-$515Run numbers
50Van Zandt County, TX4.2%$276,416$1,469-$576Run numbers

Showing the top 50 of 98 ranked counties.

Looking for every county in the state, including those without rent data? Browse the full Texas market directory.

How this ranking is calculated

We scored 98 counties in Texas and ranked them by capitalization rate, calculated as annual net operating income divided by median home price. Markets without both a median home price and a median rent are excluded, because cash flow cannot be estimated without both.

Every figure assumes a median-priced home rented at the local median rent, financed with 20 percent down on a 30-year loan at 7.40%, with closing costs at 3 percent of price and operating costs at 35 percent of rent. Operating costs cover taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and management.

These are modeled estimates for comparing markets, not quotes on a specific property. A real deal turns on the individual property, its condition, and the actual rent it can command. Run any market that interests you through the calculator with real numbers before you make an offer.

National rankings

Compare Texas against the rest of the country.

Other states

States with fewer than 5 counties reporting both price and rent are omitted, because a ranking that short would not be meaningful.

Run the numbers on a Texas property

Start from Kleberg County median values and replace them with a real listing price and rent to see whether the deal actually works.