Anderson County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.8 | 57,736 people · 12th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Anderson County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.8 — 135th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Texas, it ranks 12th of 254 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Anderson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 91.6 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 91.6
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 94
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 85
Housing Cost Burden 73.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 30
Homeownership Rate 71
Structural Poverty 69.0
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 90
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 70
Transfer Income Dependency 57
Economic Vitality 53.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 83
House Price Change (YoY) 76
Legal Distress 35.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 36

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Anderson County
Anderson County, TX 76.8 Serious —
Henderson County, TX 73.6 Serious -3.1
Houston County, TX 67.6 Serious -9.1
Freestone County, TX 65.9 Serious -10.8
Cherokee County, TX 62.8 Elevated -14.0
Leon County, TX 52.1 Elevated -24.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Anderson County
Carroll County, GA 76.9 Serious +0.2
Liberty County, TX 76.9 Serious +0.2
Rapides Parish, LA 76.5 Serious -0.2
Lauderdale County, MS 76.5 Serious -0.2
Jefferson County, AR 77.0 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Anderson County

Find an Attorney

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

State Bar of Texas — Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-252-9690

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Anderson County residents at no cost.

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid 1-888-988-9996
Lone Star Legal Aid 1-800-733-8394
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (888) 529-5277

Self-Help Resources

Texas State Law Library — Foreclosure Research Guide Comprehensive guide to Texas foreclosure law with links to statutes, forms, and practice guides.
TexasLawHelp.org Free legal information and self-help resources for low-income Texans.

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

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Texas →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Anderson County has a County Distress Index score of 76.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 135th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Anderson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Anderson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 91.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Anderson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Anderson County (76.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Henderson County, TX (73.6); Houston County, TX (67.6); Freestone County, TX (65.9).

  • 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 Serious 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). Anderson County's score of 76.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Anderson 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 Anderson County?

    Anderson County, Texas has a population of approximately 57,736 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.