Edwards County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.5 | 1,393 people · 123rd most distressed in Texas
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Edwards County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.5 — 847th 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 123rd of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Edwards County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 79.4 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 79.4
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 73
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 72
Legal Distress 78.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Structural Poverty 73.1
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 83
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 77
Economic Vitality 64.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 82
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Housing Cost Burden 9.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 17
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Edwards County
Edwards County, TX 61.5 Elevated —
Uvalde County, TX 69.3 Serious +7.8
Val Verde County, TX 64.9 Elevated +3.4
Real County, TX 60.9 Elevated -0.7
Kinney County, TX 55.1 Elevated -6.4
Kerr County, TX 49.7 Normal -11.8
Kimble County, TX 46.4 Normal -15.1
Sutton County, TX 46.1 Normal -15.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Edwards County
Webster County, MS 61.6 Elevated +0.0
Menard County, TX 61.4 Elevated -0.1
Elliott County, KY 61.2 Elevated -0.3
Buena Vista city, VA 61.9 Elevated +0.3
Cochran County, TX 61.1 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Edwards 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 Edwards 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 Edwards County, Texas?

    Edwards County has a County Distress Index score of 61.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 847th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 123rd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Edwards County?

    The primary driver of distress in Edwards County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 79.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Edwards County compare to neighboring counties?

    Edwards County (61.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Uvalde County, TX (69.3); Val Verde County, TX (64.9); Real County, TX (60.9).

  • 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). Edwards County's score of 61.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Edwards 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 Edwards County?

    Edwards County, Texas has a population of approximately 1,393 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.