Freestone County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.9 | 20,441 people · 85th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Freestone County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.9 — 601st 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 85th of 254 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Freestone County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 85.3 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 85.3
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 79
Subprime Credit Population 82
Structural Poverty 65.3
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 64
Income vs. State Median 57
Child Poverty Rate 64
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 57
Housing Cost Burden 53.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 34
Homeownership Rate 48
Economic Vitality 36.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 47
House Price Change (YoY) 91
Legal Distress 16.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Freestone County
Freestone County, TX 65.9 Serious —
Anderson County, TX 76.8 Serious +10.8
Henderson County, TX 73.6 Serious +7.7
Navarro County, TX 69.8 Serious +3.9
Limestone County, TX 65.4 Serious -0.5
Leon County, TX 52.1 Elevated -13.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Freestone County
Scott County, TN 65.9 Serious 0.0
Kay County, OK 66.0 Serious +0.0
Boyd County, KY 65.8 Serious -0.1
Randolph County, AL 66.1 Serious +0.2
Lawrence County, KY 65.7 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Freestone 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 Freestone 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 Freestone County, Texas?

    Freestone County has a County Distress Index score of 65.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 601st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 85th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Freestone County?

    The primary driver of distress in Freestone County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 85.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Freestone County compare to neighboring counties?

    Freestone County (65.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Anderson County, TX (76.8); Henderson County, TX (73.6); Navarro County, TX (69.8).

  • 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 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). Freestone County's score of 65.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Freestone 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 Freestone County?

    Freestone County, Texas has a population of approximately 20,441 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.