Texas County Distress Index
Financial distress scores for all 254 counties in Texas, scored 0–100 across five domains. A county's score is the share of U.S. counties it is more distressed than; the average Texas county scores 63.1. 109 counties score high, very high, or extreme.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Urban Institute, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts | Scores as of Aug 2026
Texas Snapshot
254 Counties Scored
63.1 Mean Score
66.1 Median Score
97 Starr County Most Distressed
14 Somervell County Least Distressed
18 extreme county distress51 very high county distress40 high county distress38 moderate-high county distress33 moderate county distress34 moderate-low county distress19 low-moderate county distress14 low county distress7 very low county distress
Score Label Distribution Texas County Map
Loading interactive map…
Low county distress Moderate-low county distress Moderate county distress High county distress Extreme county distress
All 254 Texas counties colored by county distress score range. Hover for details; click released counties for full reports.
Most & Least Distressed
Most Distressed
Least Distressed
Score Distribution
How Texas's 254 county scores are distributed across the 0–100 scale.
All Texas Counties
254 counties ranked by distress score. Click column headers to sort.
| State Rank | Nat'l Rank | County | Score | Score Label | Primary Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 82 | Starr County | 97 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 2 | — | Dimmit County | 95 | extreme county distress | Labor |
| 3 | — | Liberty County | 95 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 4 | — | Jim Wells County | 95 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 5 | — | Kenedy County | 94 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 6 | — | Zavala County | 94 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 7 | — | Trinity County | 94 | extreme county distress | Labor |
| 8 | — | Jefferson County | 94 | extreme county distress | Labor |
| 9 | — | Zapata County | 92 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 10 | — | Duval County | 92 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 11 | — | San Augustine County | 92 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 12 | — | Hidalgo County | 92 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 13 | — | Marion County | 91 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 14 | — | Cameron County | 91 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 15 | — | Nacogdoches County | 90 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 16 | — | Tyler County | 90 | extreme county distress | Labor |
| 17 | — | Brooks County | 90 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 18 | — | Henderson County | 90 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 19 | — | El Paso County | 89 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 20 | — | Polk County | 89 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 21 | — | Kleberg County | 89 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 22 | — | Maverick County | 89 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 23 | — | Willacy County | 88 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 24 | — | Bee County | 88 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 25 | — | Webb County | 88 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 26 | — | Crosby County | 87 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 27 | — | Hale County | 87 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 28 | — | Jim Hogg County | 87 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 29 | — | Morris County | 87 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 30 | — | Anderson County | 86 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 31 | — | Uvalde County | 86 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 32 | — | Gregg County | 86 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 33 | — | Cass County | 86 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 34 | — | Brown County | 85 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 35 | — | Potter County | 85 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 36 | — | Red River County | 85 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 37 | — | Matagorda County | 85 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 38 | — | Jones County | 85 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 39 | — | San Jacinto County | 85 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 40 | — | Harris County | 85 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 41 | — | Houston County | 84 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 42 | — | Refugio County | 84 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 43 | — | Frio County | 84 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 44 | — | Terry County | 84 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 45 | — | Nueces County | 84 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 46 | — | Angelina County | 84 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 47 | — | Nolan County | 83 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 48 | — | Dickens County | 83 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 49 | — | Atascosa County | 83 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 50 | — | Shelby County | 83 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 51 | — | Victoria County | 83 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 52 | — | San Patricio County | 83 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 53 | — | Swisher County | 82 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 54 | — | Orange County | 82 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 55 | — | Dawson County | 82 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 56 | — | Lamar County | 82 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 57 | — | Bowie County | 81 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 58 | — | Bexar County | 81 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 59 | — | Hardeman County | 81 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 60 | — | Walker County | 81 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 61 | — | Newton County | 80 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 62 | — | Dallas County | 80 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 63 | — | Live Oak County | 80 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 64 | — | Bell County | 80 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 65 | — | Montague County | 80 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 66 | — | Palo Pinto County | 80 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 67 | — | Hunt County | 80 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 68 | — | Coryell County | 80 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 69 | — | Limestone County | 80 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 70 | — | McCulloch County | 79 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 71 | — | Hill County | 79 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 72 | — | Kaufman County | 79 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 73 | — | Ector County | 79 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 74 | — | Cochran County | 79 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 75 | — | Robertson County | 78 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 76 | — | Jasper County | 78 | high county distress | Labor |
| 77 | — | Baylor County | 78 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 78 | — | Wood County | 78 | high county distress | Labor |
| 79 | — | Aransas County | 77 | high county distress | Labor |
| 80 | — | Eastland County | 77 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 81 | — | Titus County | 77 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 82 | — | Floyd County | 77 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 83 | — | La Salle County | 76 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 84 | — | Val Verde County | 76 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 85 | — | Harrison County | 75 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 86 | — | Wilbarger County | 75 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 87 | — | Throckmorton County | 75 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 88 | — | Upshur County | 75 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 89 | — | Cherokee County | 75 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 90 | — | Stephens County | 74 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 91 | — | McLennan County | 74 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 92 | — | Lubbock County | 74 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 93 | — | DeWitt County | 73 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 94 | — | Karnes County | 73 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 95 | — | Navarro County | 73 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 96 | — | Rusk County | 73 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 97 | — | Wichita County | 73 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 98 | — | Tarrant County | 72 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 99 | — | Coleman County | 72 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 100 | — | Caldwell County | 71 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 101 | — | Hockley County | 71 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 102 | — | Grimes County | 71 | high county distress | Labor |
| 103 | — | Reeves County | 71 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 104 | — | Ward County | 71 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 105 | — | Grayson County | 70 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 106 | — | Motley County | 70 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 107 | — | Cottle County | 70 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 108 | — | Waller County | 70 | high county distress | Labor |
| 109 | — | Deaf Smith County | 70 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 110 | — | Garza County | 69 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 111 | — | Erath County | 69 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 112 | — | Camp County | 69 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 113 | — | Hudspeth County | 69 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 114 | — | Hutchinson County | 69 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 115 | — | Johnson County | 68 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 116 | — | Culberson County | 68 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 117 | — | Jack County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 118 | — | Galveston County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 119 | — | Schleicher County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 120 | — | Van Zandt County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 121 | — | Taylor County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 122 | — | Tom Green County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 123 | — | McMullen County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 124 | — | Donley County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 125 | — | Falls County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 126 | — | Fannin County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 127 | — | Jackson County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 128 | — | Freestone County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 129 | — | Sabine County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 130 | — | Pecos County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 131 | — | Terrell County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 132 | — | Real County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 133 | — | Madison County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 134 | — | Howard County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 135 | — | Wharton County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 136 | — | Panola County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 137 | — | Smith County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 138 | — | Lamb County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 139 | — | Haskell County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 140 | — | Bosque County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 141 | — | Goliad County | 63 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 142 | — | Mitchell County | 62 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 143 | — | Ellis County | 62 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 144 | — | Gonzales County | 62 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 145 | — | Milam County | 61 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 146 | — | Hall County | 61 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 147 | — | Hardin County | 61 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 148 | — | Scurry County | 59 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 149 | — | Hopkins County | 59 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 150 | — | Foard County | 59 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 151 | — | Childress County | 57 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 152 | — | Edwards County | 57 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 153 | — | Jeff Davis County | 57 | moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 154 | — | Menard County | 57 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 155 | — | Brazos County | 57 | moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 156 | — | Hamilton County | 57 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 157 | — | Leon County | 56 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 158 | — | Presidio County | 56 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 159 | — | Bailey County | 56 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 160 | — | Delta County | 56 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 161 | — | Bastrop County | 56 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 162 | — | Gray County | 56 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 163 | — | Stonewall County | 56 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 164 | — | Runnels County | 56 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 165 | — | Medina County | 55 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 166 | — | Midland County | 55 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 167 | — | Austin County | 55 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 168 | — | Kinney County | 54 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 169 | — | Callahan County | 54 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 170 | — | Sutton County | 54 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 171 | — | Lampasas County | 53 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 172 | — | Knox County | 53 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 173 | — | Concho County | 52 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 174 | — | Briscoe County | 52 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 175 | — | Rains County | 51 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 176 | — | Hood County | 51 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 177 | — | Cooke County | 50 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 178 | — | Brazoria County | 50 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 179 | — | Moore County | 50 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 180 | — | Bandera County | 50 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 181 | — | Colorado County | 49 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 182 | — | Montgomery County | 49 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 183 | — | Andrews County | 49 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 184 | — | Sterling County | 48 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 185 | — | Coke County | 48 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 186 | — | Oldham County | 48 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 187 | — | Chambers County | 48 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 188 | — | Collingsworth County | 48 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 189 | — | Wheeler County | 48 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 190 | — | Reagan County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 191 | — | Burleson County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 192 | — | Hays County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 193 | — | Kent County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 194 | — | Castro County | 46 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 195 | — | Comanche County | 46 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 196 | — | Hansford County | 46 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 197 | — | Young County | 45 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 198 | — | Fisher County | 45 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 199 | — | Kimble County | 45 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 200 | — | San Saba County | 45 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 201 | — | Parker County | 44 | moderate-low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 202 | — | Clay County | 44 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 203 | — | Wilson County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 204 | — | Lee County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 205 | — | Calhoun County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 206 | — | Martin County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 207 | — | Yoakum County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 208 | — | Guadalupe County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 209 | — | Winkler County | 42 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 210 | — | Fort Bend County | 42 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 211 | — | Washington County | 41 | moderate-low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 212 | — | Shackelford County | 41 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 213 | — | Parmer County | 41 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 214 | — | Wise County | 41 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 215 | — | Kerr County | 38 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 216 | — | Crane County | 38 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 217 | — | Lynn County | 37 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 218 | — | Dallam County | 37 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 219 | — | Franklin County | 37 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 220 | — | Upton County | 37 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 221 | — | Denton County | 36 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 222 | — | Rockwall County | 36 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 223 | — | Travis County | 36 | low-moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 224 | — | Gaines County | 35 | low-moderate county distress | Labor |
| 225 | — | Fayette County | 34 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 226 | — | Roberts County | 33 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 227 | — | Crockett County | 33 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 228 | — | Hemphill County | 32 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 229 | — | Llano County | 32 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 230 | — | Borden County | 32 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 231 | — | Burnet County | 31 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 232 | — | Mills County | 31 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 233 | — | Glasscock County | 31 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 234 | — | Randall County | 29 | low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 235 | — | King County | 29 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 236 | — | Carson County | 28 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 237 | — | Loving County | 28 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 238 | — | Collin County | 28 | low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 239 | — | Ochiltree County | 28 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 240 | — | Comal County | 28 | low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 241 | — | Mason County | 28 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 242 | — | Sherman County | 28 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 243 | — | Irion County | 27 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 244 | — | Williamson County | 26 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 245 | — | Brewster County | 23 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 246 | — | Archer County | 22 | low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 247 | — | Hartley County | 21 | low county distress | Labor |
| 248 | — | Kendall County | 19 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 249 | — | Lavaca County | 18 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 250 | — | Lipscomb County | 18 | very low county distress | Labor |
| 251 | — | Gillespie County | 18 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 252 | — | Blanco County | 16 | very low county distress | Labor |
| 253 | — | Armstrong County | 14 | very low county distress | Delinquency |
| 254 | — | Somervell County | 14 | very low county distress | Labor |
How County Scores Work
Each county is scored 0–100 using five equal-weighted domains. Each domain averages its member indicators' county ranks, the domains are averaged, and that average is ranked against every U.S. county. So a county's score is the share of U.S. counties it is more distressed than. National ranks are shown only for the 100 most and 100 least distressed counties, because ranks in between move between updates. Counties with identical composite scores share a rank, marked T- for tied.
extreme county distress — 18 Texas counties
very high county distress — 51 Texas counties
high county distress — 40 Texas counties
moderate-high county distress — 38 Texas counties
moderate county distress — 33 Texas counties
moderate-low county distress — 34 Texas counties
low-moderate county distress — 19 Texas counties
low county distress — 14 Texas counties
very low county distress — 7 Texas counties
exceptionally low county distress — 0 Texas counties