Bandera County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.3 | 22,637 people · 227th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Bandera County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.2 — 1828th 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 227th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bandera County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 77.8 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 77.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 17
House Price Change (YoY) 97
Legal Distress 65.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 66
Structural Poverty 50.4
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 28
Child Poverty Rate 54
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 53
Consumer Credit Distress 44.6
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 21
Credit Card Delinquency 25
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 43
Housing Cost Burden 27.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 35
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 71
Homeownership Rate 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bandera County
Bandera County, TX 46.3 Normal —
Bexar County, TX 73.2 Serious +26.9
Uvalde County, TX 69.3 Serious +23.1
Real County, TX 60.9 Elevated +14.6
Medina County, TX 59.4 Elevated +13.1
Kerr County, TX 49.7 Normal +3.5
Kendall County, TX 39.0 Normal -7.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bandera County
Missaukee County, MI 46.3 Normal +0.0
Cass County, IA 46.3 Normal +0.0
Red Willow County, NE 46.3 Normal +0.1
Dickinson County, KS 46.1 Normal -0.1
Parke County, IN 46.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bandera 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 Bandera 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 Bandera County, Texas?

    Bandera County has a County Distress Index score of 46.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,828th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 227th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bandera County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bandera County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 77.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Bandera County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bandera County (46.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Bexar County, TX (73.2); Uvalde County, TX (69.3); Real County, TX (60.9).

  • 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 Normal 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). Bandera County's score of 46.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Bandera 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 Bandera County?

    Bandera County, Texas has a population of approximately 22,637 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.