Childress County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.1 | 6,788 people · 158th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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

Childress County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.1 — 1194th 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 158th of 254 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Childress County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 67.5 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 67.5
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 44
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Uninsured Rate 83
Subprime Credit Population 78
Economic Vitality 65.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 53
Rent-to-Income Ratio 69
Business Formation Rate 91
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Structural Poverty 61.1
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 76
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 32
Transfer Income Dependency 68
Housing Cost Burden 41.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 6
Homeownership Rate 87
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Childress County
Childress County, TX 56.1 Elevated —
Hardeman County, TX 69.9 Serious +13.8
Harmon County, OK 65.5 Serious +9.4
Collingsworth County, TX 53.4 Elevated -2.7
Cottle County, TX 51.6 Elevated -4.5
Hall County, TX 49.1 Normal -7.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Childress County
Motley County, TX 56.1 Elevated -0.0
Hamilton County, TX 56.2 Elevated +0.1
St. Clair County, MO 56.3 Elevated +0.2
Livingston County, KY 55.8 Elevated -0.3
Cumberland County, KY 56.6 Elevated +0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Childress 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 Childress 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 Childress County, Texas?

    Childress County has a County Distress Index score of 56.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,194th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 158th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Childress County?

    The primary driver of distress in Childress County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 67.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Childress County compare to neighboring counties?

    Childress County (56.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Hardeman County, TX (69.9); Harmon County, OK (65.5); Collingsworth County, TX (53.4).

  • 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). Childress County's score of 56.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Childress 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 Childress County?

    Childress County, Texas has a population of approximately 6,788 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.