Which court handles evictions in Conroe TX?

Evictions in Conroe (and the surrounding unincorporated Montgomery County area) are handled by the Montgomery County Justice of the Peace Courts. The Montgomery County JP Court complex is located at 501 N. Thompson St., Conroe, TX 77301 — at the Montgomery County Courthouse. Montgomery County has four JP precincts; Precinct 1 covers the City of Conroe and the central county. Key advantage for Conroe landlords: because Conroe is the county seat and the JP Court is physically located in Conroe, there is no courthouse-trap distance problem. Filing fee approximately $100–$125 for an FED (Forcible Entry and Detainer) action. Texas Property Code §24.005 requires a 3-Day Notice to Vacate before filing. After the notice period, file at Montgomery County JP Court. A hearing is set within 10 days by statute. If the court rules for the landlord and the tenant does not appeal within 5 days, a Writ of Possession is issued — total uncontested timeline approximately 3–5 weeks from notice to lockout. For properties in unincorporated Montgomery County (outside Conroe city limits), the JP precinct serving the property may differ — verify via the Montgomery County website (mctx.org) using the property address.

How much can a Conroe TX landlord raise rent in 2026?

Conroe landlords can raise rent by any amount in 2026. There is no statutory percentage ceiling, no CPI-based guideline, and no administrative approval process in Texas. The only constraints are contractual and procedural: (1) During an active fixed-term lease, rent is locked. A landlord cannot raise rent mid-term without the tenant's written consent. (2) For month-to-month tenancies, Texas Property Code §91.001 requires a minimum of 30 days' written notice before a new rent amount takes effect. (3) The Fair Housing Act prohibits selectively applying increases based on protected characteristics. Conroe's rental market has been driven by explosive Montgomery County growth — the county added more than 100,000 residents between 2015 and 2025. The Lake Conroe recreational area (approximately 21,000 acres), proximity to The Woodlands (10 miles south), and the I-45 logistics corridor have positioned Conroe as both a lifestyle market and a commuter market for Houston energy sector workers. 1BR rents in Conroe range from approximately $950–$1,500 in 2026, with new construction near Grand Central Park and SH-336 at the higher end.

What are major employers in Conroe TX driving rental demand?

Conroe's rental demand is anchored by several distinct employment sectors: (1) Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center (17201 Interstate 45 S., The Woodlands, immediately adjacent to Conroe's south boundary): a 436-bed hospital with approximately 2,500–3,000 employees including physicians, nurses, and administrative staff. Memorial Hermann employs healthcare workers who live throughout the Conroe corridor due to proximity. (2) CHI St. Luke's Health-The Woodlands Hospital (17200 St. Luke's Way, The Woodlands): another major hospital system with approximately 1,000–1,500 employees, drawing demand from the Conroe rental market. (3) Montgomery County government (501 N. Thompson St. and multiple county offices): Montgomery County government operations employ approximately 3,500–4,000 employees across all functions (courts, sheriff, elections, roads, public health), providing a stable government-wage employment base in Conroe. (4) Entergy Texas (headquarters, 350 Pine St., Beaumont; significant Conroe operations): one of the largest Texas utilities with employees throughout the I-45 north corridor. (5) Conroe Independent School District (CISD): approximately 42,000 students and ~5,000 employees — the largest employer in the City of Conroe itself. (6) I-45 logistics corridor: Amazon, Home Depot, Dollar General, and multiple distribution center operations along the I-45/SH-105 industrial strip employ thousands of warehouse and logistics workers. (7) ExxonMobil spillover: many ExxonMobil campus employees at 1 ExxonMobil Way (Spring, ~10 miles south) choose to live in Conroe for lower housing costs and the Lake Conroe lifestyle premium.

What tenant protections exist in Conroe TX without rent control?

Conroe tenants are protected by Texas Property Code Chapter 92, the statewide tenant protection framework. Key protections: Habitability (§§92.052–92.061): landlords must repair conditions materially affecting health or safety within 7 days of written notice; remedies include lease termination, repair-and-deduct (up to one month's rent), and court orders for urgent conditions. Security deposit (§§92.101–92.111): no cap; 30-day return deadline; bad-faith withholding = $100 + 3× + attorney fees. Retaliation prohibition (§92.331): 6-month window after tenant exercises rights. Lockout prohibition (§92.0081): unauthorized lockout = actual damages + 1 month's rent + $1,000 + attorney fees. Domestic violence early termination (§92.3515): qualifying victims may terminate early. Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Center (MEAC) provides social services; Lone Star Legal Aid (lonestarlegal.org, 1-800-690-8386) provides free legal services to income-qualifying tenants in Montgomery County. There is no Conroe tenant's union or tenant services department — advocacy resources are entirely state-based.

Conroe TX Rent Increase 2026

Q: Does Conroe TX have rent control in 2026?

No. Conroe, Texas has no rent control ordinance and is expressly prohibited from enacting one by Texas state law. Texas Local Government Code §214.902 provides that a municipality may not adopt an ordinance that controls the amount of rents charged for residential rental property. This prohibition applies to all Texas municipalities regardless of population or charter type — including Conroe, which is the county seat city of Montgomery County with approximately 110,000 residents as of 2026. Montgomery County as a whole has surpassed 700,000 residents, making it one of the fastest-growing large counties in the United States for multiple consecutive years, driven by in-migration from Houston proper, corporate relocations (ExxonMobil campus in adjacent Spring), and lower cost of living relative to Harris County. Conroe cannot enact rent stabilization ordinances, just-cause eviction requirements tied to rent regulation, or any other form of residential price controls.

Q: What is the security deposit rule in Conroe TX?

Texas has no statutory security deposit cap. Texas Property Code §92.102 permits Conroe landlords to require any deposit amount the parties agree to in the lease. Market practice in Conroe is 1–2 months' rent (approximately $950–$3,000 for typical Conroe units). Return deadline: 30 days after surrender of possession, with a written itemized statement of deductions simultaneously provided (§92.103). Wrongful bad-faith withholding: $100 fixed penalty + 3× the amount wrongfully withheld + reasonable attorney fees (§92.109). On a $1,500 deposit wrongfully retained: $100 + $4,500 + attorney fees = $4,600 minimum before attorney fees. The statute distinguishes bad faith from mere negligence; courts generally award the treble penalty where the landlord retained the deposit without any legitimate claim and without documentation.

No rent control — Texas §214.902 preemption — Montgomery County seat — fastest-growing large US county — Lake Conroe

Quick Answer: Conroe, Texas has no rent control and Texas Local Government Code §214.902 prohibits any Texas city from enacting one. Conroe is the Montgomery County seat — one of the fastest-growing large counties in the US. Landlords may raise rent to any amount with 30 days’ written notice for month-to-month tenancies. No deposit cap; 30-day return; 3-Day Notice to Vacate then Montgomery County JP Court (501 N. Thompson St., Conroe TX 77301) for evictions.

Rent Increase Rules: No Cap, No Limit

Conroe landlords face zero regulatory ceiling on rent increases. Texas Local Government Code §214.902 expressly prohibits all Texas municipalities from adopting ordinances that control residential rent amounts. The prohibition is absolute — there are no exceptions for city size, housing stock age, or declared housing emergencies (other than the narrow Governor’s disaster emergency provision, which has never been applied to residential rents in the Montgomery County area).

For month-to-month tenancies, Texas Property Code §91.001 requires one rental period’s written notice before a new rent takes effect — at minimum 30 days for monthly leases. For fixed-term leases, rent is locked for the term. There is no notice threshold requiring longer notice for larger increases.

Conroe’s rental market has benefited from the broader Montgomery County growth story: the county added approximately 100,000+ residents between 2015 and 2025, consistently ranking among the 10 fastest-growing counties in the U.S. with populations above 500,000. This demographic tailwind has produced sustained above-inflation rent growth in Conroe, particularly in new construction near Grand Central Park and the SH-336 / Grand Parkway intersection.

Rule	Conroe TX (2026)	Authority
Rent increase cap	None — unlimited	Tex. Local Gov. Code §214.902
Notice (month-to-month)	30 days written	Tex. Prop. Code §91.001
Security deposit cap	None	Tex. Prop. Code §92.102
Deposit return deadline	30 days after surrender	Tex. Prop. Code §92.103
Wrongful withholding penalty	$100 + 3× withheld + attorney fees	Tex. Prop. Code §92.109
Non-payment eviction notice	3-Day Notice to Vacate	Tex. Prop. Code §24.005
Eviction court (city)	Montgomery County JP Court	501 N. Thompson St., Conroe TX 77301

Montgomery County: America’s Fast-Growth Story

Conroe is the county seat of Montgomery County, a jurisdiction that has repeatedly ranked as one of the fastest-growing large counties in the United States. The county’s population surpassed 700,000 in 2025, up from approximately 499,000 in 2015 — a 40%+ increase in a decade. Major drivers of this growth include:

ExxonMobil campus spillover: The relocation of 10,000+ ExxonMobil employees to the Spring campus (southern edge of the Montgomery County line) directly elevated demand throughout the north Houston corridor. Employees working in Spring who prefer the Montgomery County school districts (Conroe ISD) or Lake Conroe lifestyle routinely commute 15–25 minutes south on I-45 or SH-99.

The Woodlands: The Woodlands master-planned community straddles the Harris/Montgomery county line with its urban center in Montgomery County. The Woodlands’ premium retail and employment base (Hughes Landing, The Woodlands Town Center, Market Street) has attracted a professional-class population that increasingly extends north to Conroe as housing prices in The Woodlands escalated.

Lake Conroe: Lake Conroe (21,000 acres; operated by San Jacinto River Authority) is a major recreational amenity and lifestyle driver. Waterfront and lake-adjacent properties command a 15–30% rent premium over comparable inland properties. Short-term rental (STR) activity on Lake Conroe is regulated by Montgomery County ordinance — landlords using platforms like Airbnb/VRBO in unincorporated Montgomery County should verify current STR permitting requirements with Montgomery County Precinct 2.

Grand Central Park: A 2,046-acre master-planned community developed by Johnson Development Corp at I-45 and SH-336. Grand Central Park is adding several thousand residential units through 2028 and represents the primary new-construction rental supply source in greater Conroe. Rents in Grand Central Park lead the broader Conroe market at $1,400–$2,000+/month for new 1BR and 2BR units.

2026 Rent Ranges by Submarket

Submarket / Neighborhood	1BR	2BR	3BR SFH
Grand Central Park (new construction)	$1,400–$1,850	$1,750–$2,300	$2,200–$3,100
Lake Conroe waterfront / lakeside	$1,200–$1,700	$1,600–$2,200	$2,100–$3,500+
Downtown / I-45 established Conroe	$950–$1,300	$1,150–$1,600	$1,400–$2,100
Woodlands-adjacent south Conroe	$1,200–$1,650	$1,550–$2,100	$2,000–$2,900
FM 1488 / SH 105 west corridor	$1,000–$1,400	$1,300–$1,800	$1,700–$2,400

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Conroe TX have rent control in 2026?

No. Texas Local Government Code §214.902 prohibits all Texas municipalities from enacting rent control. Conroe has no rent stabilization ordinance and cannot enact one without a change in Texas state law.

Where is the Montgomery County JP Court for Conroe?

Montgomery County JP Court (Precinct 1) is located at 501 N. Thompson St., Conroe TX 77301 — at the Montgomery County Courthouse in downtown Conroe. For properties in unincorporated Montgomery County outside the city of Conroe, confirm the correct precinct via the Montgomery County website (mctx.org). Filing fee approximately $100–$125. After the 3-Day Notice to Vacate (§24.005), file the FED petition at this address.

Are STRs (Airbnb/VRBO) regulated at Lake Conroe?

Unincorporated Montgomery County has enacted a short-term rental registration requirement for properties operating on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO. Landlords operating STRs on the lake should verify current permitting requirements with Montgomery County Precinct 2 (mctx.org). City of Conroe has separate regulations for properties within the incorporated city limits. Texas state law does not restrict STRs by local governments (unlike rent control), so local STR regulations are permitted.

What is the security deposit rule in Conroe TX?

Texas has no deposit cap. Texas Property Code §92.102 permits any amount agreed to in the lease. Deposit must be returned within 30 days of surrender with written itemization (§92.103). Bad-faith wrongful withholding triggers $100 + 3× withheld + attorney fees (§92.109).

How is Conroe TX different from The Woodlands?

The Woodlands is an unincorporated master-planned community straddling the Harris/Montgomery county line with its urban center in Montgomery County (south of Conroe). The Woodlands has no independent city government; Woodlands Township provides community services. Conroe is an incorporated city and the Montgomery County seat. For landlords: Conroe properties go through Montgomery County JP Court at 501 N. Thompson St., Conroe. Properties in The Woodlands area (unincorporated) also go through Montgomery County JP Courts — landlords should confirm the correct precinct for the specific address.

Related Resources

The Woodlands TX rent increase 2026 — adjacent Montgomery County master-planned community
Spring TX rent increase 2026 — unincorporated Harris County, ExxonMobil campus
Katy TX rent increase 2026 — west Houston, Harris/Fort Bend/Waller County

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