Richardson TX rent increase 2026 Richardson, Texas — straddling Dallas County (south) and Collin County (north), ~125,000 residents, home to the US-75 Telecom Corridor — has no rent control. Texas Property Code §250.007 and SB 1780 (2023) expressly preempt all city and county rent stabilization. Critical for landlords: Richardson crosses two counties — eviction must be filed in Dallas County JP Court (south Richardson) or Collin County JP Court (north Richardson) based on the property’s location. DART Red Line serves Richardson (UTD/Cityline Station; Bush Turnpike Station; Arapaho Center Station). Ch. 92: no statutory deposit cap; 30-day return after tenant surrenders and provides forwarding address; 3× bad-faith penalty + $100 + attorney fees (§92.109). Home to UT Dallas (~29,000 students; ~5,000 employees), Richardson ISD (~9,000 employees), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas HQ, and State Farm CityLine (~6,000 employees). 1BR 2026: $1,000–$1,700.

Texas rent control law: what Richardson landlords must know

Texas has categorically prohibited local rent control under two overlapping layers of state law. Texas Property Code §250.007 prohibits political subdivisions from enacting rent control ordinances. SB 1780 (signed by Governor Greg Abbott in 2023) comprehensively reinforced this preemption, targeting any ordinance or policy that limits residential rent, establishes a CPI-linked formula, creates a rent board, requires landlord justification of an increase, or mandates a rent registry.

Richardson’s split between Dallas County and Collin County creates no different rent control rules — both counties are equally preempted. The Richardson City Council has no legal authority to enact any rent cap or stabilization measure. Richardson landlords may raise rent by any amount at lease expiration without reason, government approval, or any administrative filing.

For month-to-month tenancies, Texas statute does not specify a minimum advance notice period — the lease terms control. Most standard Texas leases provide 30 days’ advance written notice. For fixed-term leases, rent may not be changed during the term without mutual agreement.

Critical: Dallas County vs. Collin County — which JP Court governs?

Richardson spans two Texas counties: Dallas County covers the southern portion and Collin County covers the northern portion. The dividing line runs approximately along the Spring Valley Rd / Arapaho Rd corridor area, though the precise county boundary is irregular and does not perfectly follow any single street.

• Dallas County Justice Court for properties in south Richardson — generally south of the county line, including the central Telecom Corridor (US-75 south), the CityLine development (1 Cityline Dr), and properties listed in Dallas CAD (dallascad.org).
• Collin County Justice Court for properties in north Richardson — generally north of the county line, including north Richardson neighborhoods near Campbell Rd, the UT Dallas campus area (800 W Campbell Rd), and properties listed in Collin County Appraisal District (collincad.org).

To verify your property’s county, use Dallas CAD (dallascad.org) or Collin CAD (collincad.org). Filing in the wrong county results in dismissal and adds weeks to the eviction timeline. Both counties require the same 3-day written notice under §24.005, charge similar filing fees (~$100–$150), and have comparable hearing timelines (5–10 business days). Uncontested total timeline: ~3–5 weeks in both counties.

Texas security deposit rules for Richardson landlords (Tex. Prop. Code Ch. 92)

Texas Property Code Chapter 92 applies identically to both Dallas County and Collin County portions of Richardson.

• No statutory deposit cap (§92.102): Texas imposes no statutory limit on the security deposit amount.
• Return deadline: 30 days after the tenant surrenders possession AND provides the landlord with a written forwarding address (§92.103). Both conditions must be met before the clock begins.
• Written itemized statement required for any deductions (§92.104) within the same 30-day window.
• Bad-faith penalty (§92.109): 3× wrongfully retained + $100 + attorney fees. On a $1,500 deposit wrongfully retained: $4,500 + $100 + fees — potentially $6,000+ total exposure.
• Non-refundable fees permitted if clearly labeled as non-refundable in the written lease.

Deposit disputes in south Richardson go to Dallas County Justice Court; north Richardson to Collin County Justice Court.

Richardson eviction: the 3-day notice to vacate (Tex. Prop. Code §24.005)

Texas Property Code §24.005 governs eviction notice requirements identically in both county portions of Richardson. Before filing a forcible detainer petition, the landlord must serve a written 3-Day Notice to Vacate.

• Written notice stating the reason for termination (for non-payment: amount owed and rental period), demanding the tenant vacate within 3 days.
• Delivery methods: personal delivery to tenant; delivery to any person 16+ at the premises; affixing to inside of main entry door; or regular/certified mail (adds 3 days for transit).
• No statutory cure right: Texas does not require a pay-and-cure option.
• After 3 days: file forcible detainer petition in the appropriate county Justice Court. Filing fee ~$100–$150. Hearing set 5–10 business days after filing and service.
• If landlord prevails: Judgment for Possession. Tenant has 5 days to vacate or appeal by bond. After 5 days, landlord requests Writ of Possession; county constable executes lockout.

Total uncontested timeline: approximately 3–5 weeks in both Dallas County and Collin County in 2026. Richardson has no local tenant protection ordinance adding steps beyond Texas state law.

DART Red Line: Richardson’s transit advantage

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Red/Orange Line light rail is a defining competitive advantage for Richardson’s rental market. The DART Red/Orange Line runs north from downtown Dallas along US-75 (Central Expressway) through east Dallas and Richardson into Plano, with three stations serving Richardson’s rental market:

• Arapaho Center Station — central Richardson, US-75 and Arapaho Rd area; serves the Telecom Corridor mid-section; established transit-adjacent apartment developments in the Arapaho Rd / Greenville Ave corridor.
• UTD/Cityline Station — at the CityLine development (1 Cityline Dr, Richardson TX); serves the State Farm CityLine campus; Class A apartment communities within the CityLine mixed-use development; premium transit-oriented residential market.
• Bush Turnpike Station — at SH-190 (George Bush Turnpike) and US-75; major park-and-ride hub; serves commuters from north Richardson, Plano, and adjacent Collin County communities.

DART Red Line provides direct service to downtown Dallas in approximately 25–35 minutes from Richardson stations, making Richardson one of the premier transit commuter suburbs in the DFW metroplex.

Rental premium: CityLine Class A apartments (adjacent to UTD/Cityline Station) command approximately $1,400–$2,000 for 1BR — the highest in Richardson — reflecting the combination of new construction, DART access, and proximity to State Farm’s 6,000+ employee campus. DART-adjacent units along the Arapaho Center corridor average $1,100–$1,600, versus $1,000–$1,400 for comparable non-transit units in other Richardson submarkets.

Because Texas prohibits rent control under §250.007 and SB 1780, Richardson landlords can capture the full DART transit premium without regulatory constraint.

Telecom Corridor: Richardson’s historic technology identity

The US-75 (Central Expressway) corridor between I-635 (LBJ Freeway) and SH-190 (George Bush Turnpike) in Richardson became known as the “Telecom Corridor” from the 1970s through the 1990s, when it hosted one of the nation’s densest concentrations of telecommunications and technology companies.

At its peak, the Telecom Corridor housed:

• Nortel Networks — whose massive campus (now the CityLine mixed-use development at 1 Cityline Dr) was one of the largest corporate campuses in the Southwest, employing thousands at its peak.
• Fujitsu Network Communications (2801 Telecom Pkwy, Richardson TX 75082) — producing telecommunications switching and networking equipment.
• AT&T — engineering and network operations along the Telecom Corridor.
• ZTE North America — North American headquarters operations in the Telecom Corridor.

Today, the corridor has evolved into a broader technology, insurance, and healthcare services employment hub:

• State Farm Insurance at CityLine — approximately 6,000+ employees in State Farm’s regional operations at the CityLine campus (1 Cityline Dr); one of Richardson’s largest private-sector employers and the dominant employment anchor at the CityLine transit-oriented development.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (1001 E Lookout Dr, Richardson TX 75082) — Texas headquarters of BCBS TX, employing thousands of insurance professionals, IT specialists, actuaries, and administrative staff.
• Raytheon / defense technology operations — along the Telecom Corridor, complementing the broader DFW defense electronics cluster.

This professional employment cluster — technology, insurance, defense, and academic — creates demand for quality rental housing throughout Richardson at the $1,100–$1,700 level from professionals earning $70,000–$130,000+.

UT Dallas: Richardson’s academic engine

The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD; 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson TX 75080) is one of the most rapidly growing research universities in Texas, enrolling approximately 29,000 students across undergraduate and graduate programs in engineering, computer science, management, natural sciences, arts and technology, and behavioral and brain sciences.

UTD’s Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science is consistently ranked among the top computer science programs in Texas and the southern United States, attracting a large international student body and producing graduates who enter DFW’s technology sector. UTD employs approximately 5,000+ faculty, administrators, researchers, and staff, including large numbers of postdoctoral researchers and research scientists earning $50,000–$80,000+.

UTD’s student and researcher population creates concentrated demand for affordable to mid-range rental housing near the Campbell Rd campus: graduate students and postdoctoral researchers typically seek 1BR and studio apartments in the $900–$1,400 range within commuting distance of the university. International students and scholars — a significant proportion of UTD’s graduate enrollment — often prefer apartment housing on 12-month leases, creating stable year-over-year demand. Many UTD graduates transition directly from student housing to professional apartments in Richardson, joining Telecom Corridor or CityLine employers upon degree completion.

Richardson ISD: DFW’s largest suburban school district

Richardson Independent School District (400 S Greenville Ave, Richardson TX 75080) is one of the largest school districts in the DFW metroplex by staff headcount, serving approximately 38,000 students across campuses in Richardson, Garland, Dallas, and Plano. RISD’s attendance boundaries extend beyond Richardson’s city limits, reflecting the district’s geographic spread across northeast Dallas County.

RISD employs approximately 9,000 teachers, administrators, counselors, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, custodial, cafeteria, and maintenance employees — making it Richardson’s largest employer by total headcount. The district operates multiple comprehensive high schools including Richardson High School and Pearce High School.

RISD’s large, geographically distributed workforce creates stable, year-round rental demand throughout Richardson at the $1,000–$1,500/month 1BR level, with educator demand broadly distributed across the city rather than concentrated near a single campus. RISD employment is recession-proof by virtue of constitutionally protected Texas public school funding.

Richardson’s diverse Asian-American community

Richardson has one of the most significant and diverse Asian-American communities in the DFW metroplex, reflecting decades of immigration by technology professionals, academics, physicians, and entrepreneurs from China, India, South Korea, Vietnam, and other Asian countries drawn by UTD, the Telecom Corridor, and the broader DFW tech ecosystem.

Estimated demographics: approximately 35% Anglo/non-Hispanic white, 30% Asian-American (including large Chinese-American, Korean-American, and Indian-American communities), 20% Hispanic/Latino, and 15% African-American. The Asian-American community is particularly concentrated in central and north Richardson along the Telecom Corridor and near UTD, where international technology and academic professionals have established residential communities.

The Belt Line Rd corridor in Richardson (US-75 to Plano Rd area) features a significant Vietnamese-American commercial corridor alongside the broader Garland-Richardson Asian corridor extending northeast. Indian-American and Chinese-American communities are particularly active in north Richardson and Plano-adjacent areas.

For Richardson landlords, this demographic diversity creates sustained, resilient rental demand at multiple price points: international students and early-career tech workers seeking $900–$1,200 apartments; established technology and insurance professionals seeking $1,200–$1,700 units; and senior professionals and families seeking $1,600–$2,000+ Class A units at CityLine or other premium developments.

Richardson rental market: 2026 submarket overview

Richardson’s rental market spans from the mid-tier to the upper-mid-tier of the DFW metroplex, reflecting its strong employment base and DART transit access. Because Texas prohibits rent control under §250.007 and SB 1780, all pricing is market-driven:

• CityLine (1 Cityline Dr; UTD/Cityline + Bush Turnpike DART Stations; Class A new construction): 1BR $1,400–$2,000. Richardson’s premier submarket; State Farm ~6,000 employees; DART transit access; luxury amenities.
• Central Telecom Corridor (US-75 / Arapaho Center DART Station / Spring Valley corridor; BCBS TX HQ proximity): 1BR $1,100–$1,600. Established professional apartment communities; transit access; RISD school proximity.
• UTD / Campbell Rd corridor (east Richardson; Collin County portion): 1BR $900–$1,400. Student and researcher demand; more affordable than CityLine; close UTD campus access.
• South and west Richardson (south of Belt Line Rd; older 1980s–1990s garden apartment stock): 1BR $1,000–$1,400. Established neighborhoods; RISD school proximity; mid-market pricing.

For context: Plano: 1BR $1,300–$1,900; Garland: 1BR $900–$1,500; Allen: 1BR $1,200–$1,800; Dallas east: 1BR $1,200–$2,000. Richardson offers a meaningful price advantage over Plano and Allen while maintaining comparable employment access and stronger transit connectivity.

Rent increase notice requirements in Richardson

Texas does not specify a minimum advance notice period for rent increases in statute for either Dallas County or Collin County portions of Richardson. Most standard Texas leases provide for 30 days’ advance written notice of a rent change. Unlike California (90-day for increases over 10%), Oregon (90-day), or Washington (180-day for increases over 3%), Texas imposes no extended notice requirement even for large increases.

Best practice: provide at least 30 days’ written advance notice before a month-to-month increase takes effect. No reason required. No cap. No government filing.

Related Texas & DFW rent increase resources

• DFW Metroplex Landlord Guide 2026 — complete Texas §250.007 + SB 1780 preemption; Ch. 92 deposits; 3-Day Notice FED; JP Court precinct map for all 14 DFW cities including Richardson
• Plano TX rent increase 2026 — adjacent north suburb; Toyota North America HQ; Legacy West; Collin County; high-growth market
• Garland TX rent increase 2026 — adjacent east; RTX/Collins Aerospace; L3Harris; Garland ISD; DART Blue Line
• Dallas TX rent increase 2026 — Tex. Prop. Code §250.007 + SB 1780; Uptown; AT&T HQ; Goldman Sachs DFW
• Carrollton TX rent increase 2026 — DART Green Line; Korean-American corridor; Dallas/Denton county split; Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD
• McKinney TX rent increase 2026 — north on US-75; fast-growing Collin County suburb; Raytheon; historic downtown