Eastland County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.7 | 18,037 people · 142nd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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

Eastland County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.7 — 975th 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 142nd of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Eastland County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 77.8 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 77.8
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 82
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Consumer Credit Distress 73.5
Debt in Collections 89
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 72
Economic Vitality 47.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 61
House Price Change (YoY) 78
Legal Distress 41.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 41
Housing Cost Burden 30.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 28
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 12
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 66

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Eastland County
Eastland County, TX 59.7 Elevated —
Brown County, TX 75.5 Serious +15.8
Palo Pinto County, TX 72.2 Serious +12.5
Erath County, TX 69.2 Serious +9.5
Stephens County, TX 63.4 Elevated +3.7
Callahan County, TX 56.0 Elevated -3.7
Comanche County, TX 49.8 Normal -9.9
Shackelford County, TX 48.9 Normal -10.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Eastland County
Panola County, TX 59.8 Elevated +0.0
Sharp County, AR 59.8 Elevated +0.0
Lampasas County, TX 59.8 Elevated +0.1
Wythe County, VA 59.8 Elevated +0.1
Fulton County, AR 59.6 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Eastland 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 Eastland 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 Eastland County, Texas?

    Eastland County has a County Distress Index score of 59.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 975th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 142nd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Eastland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Eastland County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 77.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Eastland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Eastland County (59.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Brown County, TX (75.5); Palo Pinto County, TX (72.2); Erath County, TX (69.2).

  • 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). Eastland County's score of 59.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Eastland 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 Eastland County?

    Eastland County, Texas has a population of approximately 18,037 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.