Austin County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.3 | 31,677 people · 137th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Austin County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.3 — 930th 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 137th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Austin County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 75.3 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 75.3
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 90
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Uninsured Rate 88
Subprime Credit Population 66
Housing Cost Burden 74.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 78
Homeownership Rate 33
Legal Distress 30.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30
Structural Poverty 30.1
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 34
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 51
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 25
Economic Vitality 18.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 6
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 27
House Price Change (YoY) 68

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Austin County
Austin County, TX 60.3 Elevated —
Wharton County, TX 64.7 Elevated +4.3
Waller County, TX 60.8 Elevated +0.5
Fort Bend County, TX 54.3 Elevated -6.0
Washington County, TX 52.0 Elevated -8.3
Colorado County, TX 49.4 Normal -11.0
Fayette County, TX 46.7 Normal -13.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Austin County
Big Horn County, MT 60.3 Elevated 0.0
Wood County, TX 60.3 Elevated 0.0
Dinwiddie County, VA 60.3 Elevated 0.0
Pike County, AR 60.4 Elevated +0.0
Live Oak County, TX 60.4 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Austin 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 Austin 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 Austin County, Texas?

    Austin County has a County Distress Index score of 60.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 930th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 137th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Austin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Austin County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 75.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Austin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Austin County (60.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wharton County, TX (64.7); Waller County, TX (60.8); Fort Bend County, TX (54.3).

  • 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). Austin County's score of 60.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Austin 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 Austin County?

    Austin County, Texas has a population of approximately 31,677 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.