Caldwell County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.5 | 49,859 people · 52nd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Caldwell County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.5 — 373rd 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 52nd of 254 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Caldwell County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 91.2 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 91.2
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 97
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 99
Subprime Credit Population 94
Economic Vitality 86.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 99
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 34
House Price Change (YoY) 93
Housing Cost Burden 56.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 53
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 56
Structural Poverty 42.1
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 51
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 58
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 36
Legal Distress 12.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Caldwell County
Caldwell County, TX 70.5 Serious —
Bastrop County, TX 61.1 Elevated -9.3
Hays County, TX 61.1 Elevated -9.4
Gonzales County, TX 59.4 Elevated -11.1
Guadalupe County, TX 52.9 Elevated -17.6
Travis County, TX 51.2 Elevated -19.3
Fayette County, TX 46.7 Normal -23.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Caldwell County
Boone County, WV 70.5 Serious -0.0
Lawrence County, AR 70.5 Serious +0.0
Floyd County, KY 70.4 Serious -0.1
Le Flore County, OK 70.5 Serious +0.1
Chester County, SC 70.5 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Caldwell 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 Caldwell 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 Caldwell County, Texas?

    Caldwell County has a County Distress Index score of 70.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 373rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 52nd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Caldwell County?

    The primary driver of distress in Caldwell County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 91.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Caldwell County compare to neighboring counties?

    Caldwell County (70.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Bastrop County, TX (61.1); Hays County, TX (61.1); Gonzales County, TX (59.4).

  • 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). Caldwell County's score of 70.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Caldwell 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 Caldwell County?

    Caldwell County, Texas has a population of approximately 49,859 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.