Culberson County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.9 | 2,196 people · 181st most distressed in Texas
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Culberson County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.9 — 1408th 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 181st of 254 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Culberson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 80.5 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 80.5
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 73
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 90
Structural Poverty 59.5
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 85
Transfer Income Dependency 9
Economic Vitality 34.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 50
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Housing Cost Burden 12.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 52
Legal Distress 8.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Culberson County
Culberson County, TX 52.9 Elevated —
Jeff Davis County, TX 64.1 Elevated +11.2
Hudspeth County, TX 62.4 Elevated +9.5
Reeves County, TX 61.4 Elevated +8.5
Otero County, NM 56.9 Elevated +4.0
Eddy County, NM 48.5 Normal -4.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Culberson County
McMullen County, TX 52.9 Elevated -0.0
Stark County, IL 52.8 Elevated -0.1
Pershing County, NV 52.8 Elevated -0.1
Guadalupe County, NM 53.1 Elevated +0.2
Clark County, MO 53.1 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Culberson 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 Culberson 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 Culberson County, Texas?

    Culberson County has a County Distress Index score of 52.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,408th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 181st in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Culberson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Culberson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 80.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Culberson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Culberson County (52.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jeff Davis County, TX (64.1); Hudspeth County, TX (62.4); Reeves County, TX (61.4).

  • 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). Culberson County's score of 52.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Culberson 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 Culberson County?

    Culberson County, Texas has a population of approximately 2,196 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.