Aransas County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.4 | 25,374 people · 126th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Aransas County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.4 — 860th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Texas, it ranks 126th of 254 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Aransas County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 82.4 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 82.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 33
House Price Change (YoY) 92
Consumer Credit Distress 66.5
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 57
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 67
Structural Poverty 65.1
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 87
Disability Rate 70
Transfer Income Dependency 50
Housing Cost Burden 51.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 66
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 51
Homeownership Rate 31
Legal Distress 25.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Aransas County
Aransas County, TX 61.4 Elevated —
Nueces County, TX 76.3 Serious +15.0
Refugio County, TX 75.5 Serious +14.2
San Patricio County, TX 72.6 Serious +11.2
Calhoun County, TX 56.0 Elevated -5.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Aransas County
Winchester city, VA 61.4 Elevated +0.0
Pawnee County, OK 61.4 Elevated +0.0
Union Parish, LA 61.4 Elevated +0.0
Reeves County, TX 61.4 Elevated +0.0
Charlotte County, VA 61.4 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Aransas 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 Aransas 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Aransas County has a County Distress Index score of 61.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 860th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 126th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Aransas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Aransas County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 82.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Aransas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Aransas County (61.4) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Nueces County, TX (76.3); Refugio County, TX (75.5); San Patricio County, TX (72.6).

  • 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). Aransas County's score of 61.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Aransas 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 Aransas County?

    Aransas County, Texas has a population of approximately 25,374 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.