Falls County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.0 | 17,286 people · 81st most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Falls County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.0 — 549th 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 81st of 254 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Falls County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 83.0 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 83.0
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Uninsured Rate 91
Subprime Credit Population 93
Structural Poverty 77.2
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 86
Income vs. State Median 88
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 80
Transfer Income Dependency 72
Housing Cost Burden 55.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 19
Homeownership Rate 27
Economic Vitality 36.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 17
Rent-to-Income Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 50
House Price Change (YoY) 10
Legal Distress 19.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Falls County
Falls County, TX 67.0 Serious —
Bell County, TX 72.5 Serious +5.5
McLennan County, TX 71.1 Serious +4.1
Limestone County, TX 65.4 Serious -1.6
Milam County, TX 64.4 Elevated -2.6
Robertson County, TX 62.5 Elevated -4.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Falls County
Scott County, MO 67.0 Serious +0.0
Caddo County, OK 67.0 Serious +0.0
Cass County, TX 67.0 Serious +0.0
Brantley County, GA 67.0 Serious -0.1
Marion County, SC 66.9 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Falls 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 Falls 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 Falls County, Texas?

    Falls County has a County Distress Index score of 67.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 549th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 81st in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Falls County?

    The primary driver of distress in Falls County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 83.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Falls County compare to neighboring counties?

    Falls County (67.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Bell County, TX (72.5); McLennan County, TX (71.1); Limestone County, TX (65.4).

  • 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). Falls County's score of 67.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Falls 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 Falls County?

    Falls County, Texas has a population of approximately 17,286 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.