Dallas County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.7 | 2,606,358 people · 29th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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

Dallas County sells the same pitch as the rest of Texas: lower cost, no state income tax, room to grow. The Debt & Delinquency score of 79.7 tells a different story. Collections hit the 89.4th percentile. Medical debt is at the 78.4th. Auto loan delinquency reaches the 86.3rd percentile. This is the highest debt-domain score among the ten most populous counties in the country. The uninsured rate matches Harris County at the 97.6th percentile — a Texas-specific structural gap that shows up across the state's urban centers. Without Medicaid expansion, the county's lower-income residents face medical costs without a public insurance backstop, and those costs flow directly into the collections pipeline. Housing Cost Burden adds another layer at 89.7. Nearly 9 in 10 counties nationally have lower housing burden than Dallas. At 60.3 overall, Dallas County is the second-most-distressed county in the top ten by population. It ranks 811th nationally and 113th among Texas's 254 counties. Neighboring Tarrant County (Fort Worth) registers 56.6. Kaufman to the east scores 55.2. The DFW corridor is uniformly Elevated, with Dallas at the center and the highest debt intensity.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dallas County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 86.3 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 86.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 85.0
Debt in Collections 89
Medical Debt 78
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 78
Uninsured Rate 99
Subprime Credit Population 85
Legal Distress 63.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Economic Vitality 62.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 58
Rent-to-Income Ratio 97
Business Formation Rate 4
House Price Change (YoY) 88
Structural Poverty 27.1
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 7
Transfer Income Dependency 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dallas County
Dallas County, TX 73.7 Serious —
Kaufman County, TX 73.8 Serious +0.1
Tarrant County, TX 72.6 Serious -1.1
Ellis County, TX 68.6 Serious -5.1
Denton County, TX 56.5 Elevated -17.2
Rockwall County, TX 53.3 Elevated -20.4
Collin County, TX 48.5 Normal -25.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dallas County
Philadelphia County, PA 73.5 Serious -0.2
Orange County, FL 73.9 Serious +0.2
Bexar County, TX 73.2 Serious -0.5
Tarrant County, TX 72.6 Serious -1.1
Hillsborough County, FL 71.5 Serious -2.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dallas County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Dallas County.

BCL OF TEXAS (BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LENDERS)
Dallas
214-688-7456
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
BUILDERS OF HOPE
Dallas
214-920-9850 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
DALLAS AREA HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Dallas
214-678-2300 Website
Financial CounselingFair HousingPost-PurchasePre-Lease/Pre-Purchase
DALLAS COUNTY HOME LOAN COUNSELING CENTER
Dallas
214-819-6060 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
NAVICORE SOLUTIONS- DALLAS, TX
Dallas
866-472-4557 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in Texas →

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 Dallas 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 Dallas County, Texas?

    Dallas County has a County Distress Index score of 73.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 238th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dallas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dallas County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 86.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Dallas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dallas County (73.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Kaufman County, TX (73.8); Tarrant County, TX (72.6); Ellis County, TX (68.6).

  • 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 Serious 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). Dallas County's score of 73.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Dallas 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 Dallas County?

    Dallas County, Texas has a population of approximately 2,606,358 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.