Calhoun County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.0 | 19,696 people · 161st most distressed in Texas
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Calhoun County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.0 — 1201st 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 161st of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Calhoun County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 78.4 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 78.4
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 54
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 79
Structural Poverty 46.5
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 23
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 59
Transfer Income Dependency 48
Housing Cost Burden 40.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 12
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 37
Homeownership Rate 39
Economic Vitality 23.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 86
House Price Change (YoY) 36
Legal Distress 15.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Calhoun County
Calhoun County, TX 56.0 Elevated —
Refugio County, TX 75.5 Serious +19.5
Victoria County, TX 73.8 Serious +17.8
Matagorda County, TX 71.0 Serious +15.0
Jackson County, TX 62.0 Elevated +6.0
Aransas County, TX 61.4 Elevated +5.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Calhoun County
Callahan County, TX 56.0 Elevated +0.0
Mercer County, KY 56.1 Elevated +0.0
Neosho County, KS 56.0 Elevated -0.1
Lincoln County, AR 56.1 Elevated +0.1
Polk County, AR 56.1 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Calhoun 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 Calhoun 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 Calhoun County, Texas?

    Calhoun County has a County Distress Index score of 56.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,201st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 161st in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Calhoun County?

    The primary driver of distress in Calhoun County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 78.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Calhoun County compare to neighboring counties?

    Calhoun County (56.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Refugio County, TX (75.5); Victoria County, TX (73.8); Matagorda County, TX (71.0).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Calhoun County's score of 56.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Calhoun 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 Calhoun County?

    Calhoun County, Texas has a population of approximately 19,696 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.