Brooks County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.9 | 6,848 people · 54th most distressed in Texas
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Brooks County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.9 — 393rd 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 54th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Brooks County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 92.3 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 92.3
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 89.8
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 53.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 93
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Housing Cost Burden 37.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 95
Legal Distress 7.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Brooks County
Brooks County, TX 69.9 Serious —
Jim Wells County, TX 81.0 Crisis +11.1
Starr County, TX 80.3 Crisis +10.4
Hidalgo County, TX 79.2 Serious +9.3
Kleberg County, TX 78.6 Serious +8.6
Jim Hogg County, TX 73.6 Serious +3.7
Duval County, TX 68.7 Serious -1.3
Kenedy County, TX 55.5 Elevated -14.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Brooks County
Hardeman County, TX 69.9 Serious -0.0
Quitman County, GA 70.0 Serious +0.1
Liberty County, FL 70.0 Serious +0.1
Tillman County, OK 69.8 Serious -0.2
Zavala County, TX 69.7 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Brooks 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 Brooks 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 Brooks County, Texas?

    Brooks County has a County Distress Index score of 69.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 393rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brooks County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brooks County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 92.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Brooks County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brooks County (69.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jim Wells County, TX (81.0); Starr County, TX (80.3); Hidalgo County, TX (79.2).

  • 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). Brooks County's score of 69.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Brooks 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 Brooks County?

    Brooks County, Texas has a population of approximately 6,848 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.