Donley County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.6 | 3,214 people · 144th most distressed in Texas
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Donley County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.6 — 978th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Texas, it ranks 144th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Donley County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 79.0 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 79.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 79
Rent-to-Income Ratio 73
Business Formation Rate 93
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Consumer Credit Distress 75.2
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 73
Uninsured Rate 82
Subprime Credit Population 60
Structural Poverty 65.9
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 8
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Housing Cost Burden 32.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 55
Homeownership Rate 45
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Donley County
Donley County, TX 59.6 Elevated —
Gray County, TX 63.2 Elevated +3.6
Briscoe County, TX 58.4 Elevated -1.2
Wheeler County, TX 54.9 Elevated -4.7
Collingsworth County, TX 53.4 Elevated -6.2
Hall County, TX 49.1 Normal -10.5
Carson County, TX 45.1 Normal -14.5
Armstrong County, TX 40.9 Normal -18.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Donley County
Todd County, SD 59.6 Elevated -0.0
Choctaw County, MS 59.7 Elevated +0.0
Menifee County, KY 59.6 Elevated -0.0
Galax city, VA 59.6 Elevated -0.0
Jack County, TX 59.7 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Donley 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 Donley 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 Donley County, Texas?

    Donley County has a County Distress Index score of 59.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 978th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 144th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Donley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Donley County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 79.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Donley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Donley County (59.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Gray County, TX (63.2); Briscoe County, TX (58.4); Wheeler County, TX (54.9).

  • 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). Donley County's score of 59.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Donley 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 Donley County?

    Donley County, Texas has a population of approximately 3,214 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.