Dickens County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.5 | 1,711 people · 73rd most distressed in Texas
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Dickens County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.5 — 458th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Texas, it ranks 73rd of 254 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dickens County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 85.9 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 85.9
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Consumer Credit Distress 77.0
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 73
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 67
Housing Cost Burden 60.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 13
Economic Vitality 53.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 40
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Legal Distress 24.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dickens County
Dickens County, TX 68.5 Serious —
Crosby County, TX 74.8 Serious +6.3
Floyd County, TX 65.4 Serious -3.1
Garza County, TX 59.3 Elevated -9.3
Motley County, TX 56.1 Elevated -12.5
Stonewall County, TX 54.2 Elevated -14.4
Kent County, TX 51.6 Elevated -16.9
Cottle County, TX 51.6 Elevated -17.0
King County, TX 46.4 Normal -22.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dickens County
Duval County, TX 68.7 Serious +0.1
McCulloch County, TX 68.7 Serious +0.1
Clinch County, GA 68.4 Serious -0.1
Marion County, TX 68.7 Serious +0.2
Scott County, AR 68.7 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dickens 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 Dickens 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 Dickens County, Texas?

    Dickens County has a County Distress Index score of 68.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 458th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 73rd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dickens County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dickens County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 85.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Dickens County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dickens County (68.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Crosby County, TX (74.8); Floyd County, TX (65.4); Garza County, TX (59.3).

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

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

    Dickens 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 Dickens County?

    Dickens County, Texas has a population of approximately 1,711 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.