El Paso County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 78.0 | 869,880 people · 8th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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El Paso County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 78.0 — 103rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Texas, it ranks 8th of 254 counties. It scores higher than all 3 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. El Paso County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 84.3 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 84.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 87
Consumer Credit Distress 83.8
Debt in Collections 82
Medical Debt 79
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 99
Subprime Credit Population 88
Legal Distress 73.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Economic Vitality 69.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 53
House Price Change (YoY) 61
Structural Poverty 56.0
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 31
Transfer Income Dependency 39

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. El Paso County
El Paso County, TX 78.0 Serious —
Doña Ana County, NM 67.1 Serious -11.0
Hudspeth County, TX 62.4 Elevated -15.6
Otero County, NM 56.9 Elevated -21.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. El Paso County
Orleans Parish, LA 78.2 Serious +0.1
Cameron County, TX 78.3 Serious +0.3
Henry County, GA 78.3 Serious +0.3
Webb County, TX 78.4 Serious +0.3
Polk County, FL 79.0 Serious +0.9

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for El Paso County as a CSV file.

Find Help in El Paso County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near El Paso County.

ADULTS AND YOUTH UNITED DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION INC
San Elizario
915-584-2875 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-Purchase
EL PASO COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM, PROJECT BRAVO, INC.
El Paso
915-562-4100 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
GECU FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
El Paso
915-774-2160 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing

See all counselors in Texas →

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 El Paso 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 El Paso County, Texas?

    El Paso County has a County Distress Index score of 78.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 103rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in El Paso County?

    The primary driver of distress in El Paso County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 84.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does El Paso County compare to neighboring counties?

    El Paso County (78.0) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Doña Ana County, NM (67.1); Hudspeth County, TX (62.4); Otero County, NM (56.9).

  • 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 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). El Paso County's score of 78.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power El Paso County's CDI score?

    El Paso 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 El Paso County?

    El Paso County, Texas has a population of approximately 869,880 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.