DeWitt County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.2 | 19,929 people · 102nd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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

DeWitt County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.2 — 696th 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 102nd 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. DeWitt County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 80.2 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 80.2
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Uninsured Rate 93
Subprime Credit Population 73
Economic Vitality 61.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 84
House Price Change (YoY) 82
Structural Poverty 55.9
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 55
Transfer Income Dependency 27
Housing Cost Burden 54.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 52
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 68
Legal Distress 9.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. DeWitt County
DeWitt County, TX 64.2 Elevated —
Victoria County, TX 73.8 Serious +9.7
Karnes County, TX 69.2 Serious +5.0
Gonzales County, TX 59.4 Elevated -4.8
Goliad County, TX 46.9 Normal -17.3
Lavaca County, TX 36.7 Normal -27.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. DeWitt County
Franklin County, GA 64.1 Elevated -0.0
McCurtain County, OK 64.1 Elevated -0.1
Caroline County, MD 64.1 Elevated -0.1
Waynesboro city, VA 64.1 Elevated -0.1
Winn Parish, LA 64.3 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in DeWitt 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 DeWitt 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 DeWitt County, Texas?

    DeWitt County has a County Distress Index score of 64.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 696th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 102nd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in DeWitt County?

    The primary driver of distress in DeWitt County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 80.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does DeWitt County compare to neighboring counties?

    DeWitt County (64.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Victoria County, TX (73.8); Karnes County, TX (69.2); Gonzales County, TX (59.4).

  • 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). DeWitt County's score of 64.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    DeWitt 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 DeWitt County?

    DeWitt County, Texas has a population of approximately 19,929 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.