Bowie County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.3 | 91,687 people · 23rd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Bowie County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.3 — 216th 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 23rd of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bowie County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.1 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.1
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 89
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Uninsured Rate 89
Subprime Credit Population 82
Housing Cost Burden 71.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 60
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 89
Legal Distress 62.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 62
Economic Vitality 57.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Rent-to-Income Ratio 73
Business Formation Rate 38
House Price Change (YoY) 81
Structural Poverty 56.0
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 60
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 30
Transfer Income Dependency 57

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bowie County
Bowie County, TX 74.3 Serious —
Miller County, AR 79.3 Serious +5.0
Red River County, TX 74.2 Serious -0.1
Morris County, TX 70.2 Serious -4.1
Little River County, AR 69.7 Serious -4.6
Cass County, TX 67.0 Serious -7.3
McCurtain County, OK 64.1 Elevated -10.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bowie County
Bulloch County, GA 74.4 Serious +0.1
Calhoun County, AL 74.5 Serious +0.2
Sumter County, SC 74.1 Serious -0.2
Gregg County, TX 74.0 Serious -0.2
Forrest County, MS 74.6 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bowie 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 Bowie 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 Bowie County, Texas?

    Bowie County has a County Distress Index score of 74.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 216th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 23rd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bowie County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bowie County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Bowie County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bowie County (74.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Miller County, AR (79.3); Red River County, TX (74.2); Morris County, TX (70.2).

  • 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 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). Bowie County's score of 74.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Bowie 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 Bowie County?

    Bowie County, Texas has a population of approximately 91,687 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.