Bexar County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.2 | 2,087,679 people · 35th most distressed in Texas
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Bexar County is San Antonio — military town, healthcare hub, fastest-growing metro in Texas for much of the last decade. The county scores 62.9, Elevated, ranking 628th nationally. The score itself isn't surprising. What stands out is where the distress concentrates. Debt in collections: 85.2nd percentile. Auto loan delinquency: 83.1st. Credit card delinquency: 80.8th. Debt & Delinquency overall: 72.3. Then Community Vulnerability adds a layer most Texas metros share. Uninsured rate: 90.3rd percentile. Disability rate: 38.9th. The combined vulnerability score of 64.6 is well above the national midpoint. Bexar County's poverty rate sits at the 59.4th percentile — higher than Tarrant, higher than Dallas, the worst among the state's four largest metros. The military and healthcare sectors provide employment stability. They don't provide immunity from the debt cycle that an uninsured population at these income levels generates. The surrounding counties show the gradient. Atascosa County to the south scores 61.1. Medina County: 57.3. Guadalupe County, more affluent: 41.7. Bexar sits at the center of a metro where distress runs highest in the urban core and fades toward the periphery. Among Texas's 254 counties, it ranks 90th — worse than three-quarters of the state.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bexar County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 89.8 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 89.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 94
Consumer Credit Distress 83.1
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 86
Economic Vitality 59.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 58
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 84
Legal Distress 42.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 43
Structural Poverty 36.8
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 57
Disability Rate 39
Transfer Income Dependency 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bexar County
Bexar County, TX 73.2 Serious —
Atascosa County, TX 68.4 Serious -4.8
Medina County, TX 59.4 Elevated -13.8
Guadalupe County, TX 52.9 Elevated -20.3
Wilson County, TX 51.2 Elevated -22.0
Comal County, TX 47.4 Normal -25.8
Bandera County, TX 46.3 Normal -26.9
Kendall County, TX 39.0 Normal -34.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bexar County
Philadelphia County, PA 73.5 Serious +0.3
Dallas County, TX 73.7 Serious +0.5
Tarrant County, TX 72.6 Serious -0.6
Orange County, FL 73.9 Serious +0.7
Hillsborough County, FL 71.5 Serious -1.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bexar County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Bexar County.

CITY OF SAN ANTONIO/DEPT OF NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES (DNHS)
San Antonio
210-207-5309
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab
GREENPATH FINANCIAL WELLNESS
Live Oak
210-979-4300 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF SAN ANTONIO
San Antonio
210-533-6673 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase
NSC (NACA COUNSELING SUBSIDIARY) - SAN ANTONIO, TX
SAN ANTONIO
210-826-2828 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab
OUR CASAS RESIDENT COUNCIL, INC.
San Antonio
210-354-2400 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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 Bexar 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 Bexar County, Texas?

    Bexar County has a County Distress Index score of 73.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 262nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bexar County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bexar County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 89.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Bexar County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bexar County (73.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Atascosa County, TX (68.4); Medina County, TX (59.4); Guadalupe County, TX (52.9).

  • 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 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). Bexar County's score of 73.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Bexar 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 Bexar County?

    Bexar County, Texas has a population of approximately 2,087,679 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.