Cooke County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.6 | 43,782 people · 135th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Cooke County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.6 — 914th 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 135th 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. Cooke County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 74.4 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 74.4
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 69
Housing Cost Burden 64.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 66
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 60
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 61
Economic Vitality 41.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 42
Rent-to-Income Ratio 41
Business Formation Rate 45
House Price Change (YoY) 31
Legal Distress 38.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39
Structural Poverty 31.4
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 14
Child Poverty Rate 55
Disability Rate 44
Transfer Income Dependency 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cooke County
Cooke County, TX 60.6 Elevated —
Grayson County, TX 68.6 Serious +8.0
Montague County, TX 67.9 Serious +7.3
Denton County, TX 56.5 Elevated -4.2
Love County, OK 56.2 Elevated -4.4
Wise County, TX 54.0 Elevated -6.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cooke County
Pecos County, TX 60.6 Elevated +0.0
Russell County, KY 60.7 Elevated +0.0
Grimes County, TX 60.7 Elevated +0.0
McDonough County, IL 60.7 Elevated +0.1
Miami County, IN 60.7 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cooke 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 Cooke 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 Cooke County, Texas?

    Cooke County has a County Distress Index score of 60.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 914th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 135th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cooke County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cooke County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 74.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Cooke County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cooke County (60.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Grayson County, TX (68.6); Montague County, TX (67.9); Denton County, TX (56.5).

  • 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). Cooke County's score of 60.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Cooke 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 Cooke County?

    Cooke County, Texas has a population of approximately 43,782 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.