HOUSTON – Houston is breaking records again, but not for reasons worth bragging about.
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A recent report shared by Eviction Lab, a Princeton University-based research center, showed Houston had three times more evictions than New York City in February 2025 and still way above pre-pandemic averages.
The numbers showed landlords in Houston filed 6,536 evictions in February 2025. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers note the average amount of eviction filings were typically 4,284 on a “normal” February.
“This means that, for last month, evicting activity was 53% above average,” Eviction Lab Communication & Policy Engagement Manager, Juan Pablo Garnham said in an email to KPRC 2. “When compared to the previous month, this shows a relative increase, as in January 2025 evictions were 27% above pre-pandemic averages. But if you look at raw numbers, there was a decrease (from 7,215 to 6,536).”
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These numbers come as a bigger surprise because Eviction Lab found that, historically, peak eviction rates are in June and January, while February, March and April “tend to be lower.”
To look at the full report and data, click here.
