Bell County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.5 | 393,193 people · 40th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Bell County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.5 — 291st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Texas, it ranks 40th of 254 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bell County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 85.9 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 85.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 90
Homeownership Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 84.4
Debt in Collections 89
Medical Debt 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 86
Subprime Credit Population 93
Legal Distress 52.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 53
Economic Vitality 45.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 39
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Business Formation Rate 28
House Price Change (YoY) 93
Structural Poverty 38.1
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 33
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 39
Disability Rate 42
Transfer Income Dependency 36

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bell County
Bell County, TX 72.5 Serious —
McLennan County, TX 71.1 Serious -1.4
Falls County, TX 67.0 Serious -5.5
Coryell County, TX 66.6 Serious -5.9
Milam County, TX 64.4 Elevated -8.1
Lampasas County, TX 59.8 Elevated -12.7
Williamson County, TX 49.7 Normal -22.8
Burnet County, TX 43.0 Normal -29.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bell County
East Baton Rouge Parish, LA 72.6 Serious +0.1
Essex County, NJ 72.2 Serious -0.3
Jefferson County, AL 72.2 Serious -0.3
Marion County, IN 73.0 Serious +0.6
Marion County, FL 71.9 Serious -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bell County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Bell County.

FAMILIES IN CRISIS, INC.
Killeen
254-634-1184 Website
Homeless/DisplacementRental Help

See all counselors in Texas →

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 Bell 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 Bell County, Texas?

    Bell County has a County Distress Index score of 72.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 291st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bell County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bell County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 85.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Bell County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bell County (72.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: McLennan County, TX (71.1); Falls County, TX (67.0); Coryell County, TX (66.6).

  • 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 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). Bell County's score of 72.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Bell 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 Bell County?

    Bell County, Texas has a population of approximately 393,193 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.