Brazos County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.3 | 244,703 people · 90th most distressed in Texas
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Brazos County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.3 — 630th 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 90th 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. Brazos County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 97.1 — worse than roughly 97% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 97.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 99
Economic Vitality 67.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 59
House Price Change (YoY) 73
Consumer Credit Distress 65.4
Debt in Collections 59
Medical Debt 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Uninsured Rate 77
Subprime Credit Population 66
Structural Poverty 41.9
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 69
Child Poverty Rate 56
Disability Rate 6
Transfer Income Dependency 7
Legal Distress 9.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Brazos County
Brazos County, TX 65.3 Serious —
Madison County, TX 69.0 Serious +3.8
Robertson County, TX 62.5 Elevated -2.8
Grimes County, TX 60.7 Elevated -4.6
Leon County, TX 52.1 Elevated -13.1
Washington County, TX 52.0 Elevated -13.2
Burleson County, TX 48.4 Normal -16.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Brazos County
Houston County, AL 65.3 Serious 0.0
Rusk County, TX 65.3 Serious -0.0
Madison County, IN 65.3 Serious +0.1
Lynchburg city, VA 65.2 Serious -0.1
Navajo County, AZ 65.2 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Brazos 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 Brazos 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 Brazos County, Texas?

    Brazos County has a County Distress Index score of 65.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 630th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 90th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brazos County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brazos County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 97.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Brazos County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brazos County (65.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Madison County, TX (69.0); Robertson County, TX (62.5); Grimes County, TX (60.7).

  • 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). Brazos County's score of 65.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Brazos 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 Brazos County?

    Brazos County, Texas has a population of approximately 244,703 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.