Fort Bend County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.3 | 916,778 people · 173rd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Fort Bend County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.3 — 1322nd 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 173rd of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Fort Bend County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.0 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 82
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 90
Homeownership Rate 33
Consumer Credit Distress 59.8
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 68
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Uninsured Rate 77
Subprime Credit Population 62
Economic Vitality 44.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Rent-to-Income Ratio 18
Business Formation Rate 4
House Price Change (YoY) 25
Legal Distress 41.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42
Structural Poverty 11.4
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 11
Disability Rate 1
Transfer Income Dependency 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fort Bend County
Fort Bend County, TX 54.3 Elevated —
Harris County, TX 70.6 Serious +16.3
Wharton County, TX 64.7 Elevated +10.4
Waller County, TX 60.8 Elevated +6.5
Austin County, TX 60.3 Elevated +6.0
Brazoria County, TX 58.4 Elevated +4.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fort Bend County
Durham County, NC 54.3 Elevated -0.0
Lane County, OR 54.4 Elevated +0.1
Orange County, NY 54.5 Elevated +0.1
Macomb County, MI 54.1 Elevated -0.3
Greenville County, SC 53.9 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Fort Bend County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Fort Bend County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Fort Bend County.

MONEY MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL - HOUSTON CALL CENTER
Stafford
866-232-9080 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
MONEY MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL INC.
Stafford
866-232-9080 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase

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 Fort Bend 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 Fort Bend County, Texas?

    Fort Bend County has a County Distress Index score of 54.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,322nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 173rd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fort Bend County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fort Bend County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Fort Bend County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fort Bend County (54.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Harris County, TX (70.6); Wharton County, TX (64.7); Waller County, TX (60.8).

  • 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). Fort Bend County's score of 54.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Fort Bend County's CDI score?

    Fort Bend 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 Fort Bend County?

    Fort Bend County, Texas has a population of approximately 916,778 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.