Texas County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.0 | 25,619 people · 25th most distressed in Missouri
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Texas County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.0 — 882nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Missouri, it ranks 25th of 115 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Texas County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 82.0 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 82.0
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 85
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 97
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Consumer Credit Distress 70.3
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 88
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 51
Economic Vitality 52.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 57
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 45
House Price Change (YoY) 12
Housing Cost Burden 43.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 41
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 78
Homeownership Rate 38
Legal Distress 26.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 27

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Texas County
Texas County, MO 61.0 Elevated —
Howell County, MO 61.2 Elevated +0.1
Laclede County, MO 55.5 Elevated -5.5
Dent County, MO 55.4 Elevated -5.6
Phelps County, MO 54.7 Elevated -6.4
Wright County, MO 53.9 Elevated -7.2
Douglas County, MO 52.8 Elevated -8.2
Shannon County, MO 49.7 Normal -11.4
Pulaski County, MO 47.5 Normal -13.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Texas County
Brown County, OH 61.0 Elevated -0.0
Beckham County, OK 61.0 Elevated -0.0
Grant Parish, LA 61.1 Elevated +0.0
Wayne County, WV 61.0 Elevated -0.0
Jackson County, TN 61.0 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Texas County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Texas County

Find an Attorney

Missouri Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Missouri Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 573-635-4128

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Texas County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri 314-534-4200 (St. Louis); 1-800-444-0514 (statewide hotline)
Legal Aid of Western Missouri 816-474-6750 (Kansas City); 1-800-748-2057 (statewide hotline)
Central Missouri Legal Services 573-442-0116
The Legal Aid and Defender Association (LAD) 816-474-6750
Legal Services of Southern Missouri (417) 881-1397
Mid-Missouri Legal Services Corporation (573) 442-0116

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Texas County, Missouri?

    Texas County has a County Distress Index score of 61.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 882nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Texas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Texas County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 82.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Texas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Texas County (61.0) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Howell County, MO (61.2); Laclede County, MO (55.5); Dent County, MO (55.4).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Texas County's score of 61.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Texas County's CDI score?

    Texas County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Texas County?

    Texas County, Missouri has a population of approximately 25,619 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.