Bastrop County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.1 | 110,778 people · 128th most distressed in Texas
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Bastrop County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.1 — 877th 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 128th of 254 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bastrop 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 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 31
House Price Change (YoY) 76
Consumer Credit Distress 78.3
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 89
Auto Loan Delinquency 63
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Uninsured Rate 97
Subprime Credit Population 81
Housing Cost Burden 50.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 51
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 92
Homeownership Rate 43
Structural Poverty 24.2
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 12
Child Poverty Rate 41
Disability Rate 17
Transfer Income Dependency 19
Legal Distress 23.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bastrop County
Bastrop County, TX 61.1 Elevated —
Caldwell County, TX 70.5 Serious +9.3
Lee County, TX 54.9 Elevated -6.3
Travis County, TX 51.2 Elevated -9.9
Williamson County, TX 49.7 Normal -11.5
Fayette County, TX 46.7 Normal -14.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bastrop County
Rowan County, NC 61.2 Elevated +0.1
Livingston Parish, LA 61.3 Elevated +0.2
Harnett County, NC 61.0 Elevated -0.2
Charles County, MD 61.4 Elevated +0.2
Creek County, OK 60.9 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bastrop 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 Bastrop 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Bastrop County has a County Distress Index score of 61.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 877th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 128th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bastrop County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bastrop 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 Bastrop County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bastrop County (61.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Caldwell County, TX (70.5); Lee County, TX (54.9); Travis County, TX (51.2).

  • 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). Bastrop County's score of 61.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Bastrop 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 Bastrop County?

    Bastrop County, Texas has a population of approximately 110,778 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.