Dawson County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.5 | 12,004 people · 74th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Dawson County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.5 — 463rd 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 74th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dawson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 85.8 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 85.8
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 85
Auto Loan Delinquency 87
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 65.7
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 71
Child Poverty Rate 83
Disability Rate 50
Transfer Income Dependency 53
Economic Vitality 60.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 81
House Price Change (YoY) 94
Housing Cost Burden 50.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 43
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 10
Homeownership Rate 71
Legal Distress 24.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dawson County
Dawson County, TX 68.5 Serious —
Terry County, TX 76.8 Serious +8.3
Howard County, TX 65.5 Serious -3.0
Lynn County, TX 51.1 Elevated -17.3
Martin County, TX 49.1 Normal -19.3
Borden County, TX 41.2 Normal -27.2
Gaines County, TX 40.7 Normal -27.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dawson County
Chambers County, AL 68.5 Serious +0.0
Person County, NC 68.5 Serious -0.0
Campbell County, TN 68.5 Serious +0.0
Okeechobee County, FL 68.3 Serious -0.2
Pike County, OH 68.7 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dawson 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 Dawson 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 Dawson County, Texas?

    Dawson County has a County Distress Index score of 68.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 463rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 74th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dawson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dawson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 85.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Dawson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dawson County (68.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Terry County, TX (76.8); Howard County, TX (65.5); Lynn County, TX (51.1).

  • 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). Dawson County's score of 68.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Dawson 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 Dawson County?

    Dawson County, Texas has a population of approximately 12,004 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.