Castro County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.8 | 7,227 people · 177th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Castro County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.8 — 1350th 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 177th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Castro County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 74.7 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 74.7
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 91
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 83
Economic Vitality 67.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 74
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Structural Poverty 39.0
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 77
Income vs. State Median 71
Child Poverty Rate 68
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Legal Distress 24.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25
Housing Cost Burden 22.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 18
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 73

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Castro County
Castro County, TX 53.8 Elevated —
Hale County, TX 72.3 Serious +18.5
Swisher County, TX 67.3 Serious +13.6
Deaf Smith County, TX 64.4 Elevated +10.6
Lamb County, TX 59.5 Elevated +5.8
Randall County, TX 54.2 Elevated +0.4
Parmer County, TX 48.3 Normal -5.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Castro County
West Carroll Parish, LA 53.7 Elevated -0.1
Rosebud County, MT 53.9 Elevated +0.1
Quay County, NM 53.6 Elevated -0.2
Crittenden County, KY 54.2 Elevated +0.4
Collingsworth County, TX 53.4 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Castro 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 Castro 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Castro County, Texas?

    Castro County has a County Distress Index score of 53.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,350th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 177th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Castro County?

    The primary driver of distress in Castro County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 74.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Castro County compare to neighboring counties?

    Castro County (53.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hale County, TX (72.3); Swisher County, TX (67.3); Deaf Smith County, TX (64.4).

  • 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 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). Castro County's score of 53.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Castro 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 Castro County?

    Castro County, Texas has a population of approximately 7,227 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.