Garza County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.3 | 4,517 people · 148th most distressed in Texas
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Garza County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.3 — 1000th 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 148th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Garza County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 83.2 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 83.2
Debt in Collections 84
Medical Debt 78
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 93
Subprime Credit Population 88
Structural Poverty 67.1
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 79
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 59
Transfer Income Dependency 63
Economic Vitality 45.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Rent-to-Income Ratio 58
Business Formation Rate 65
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Housing Cost Burden 26.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 28
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 76
Legal Distress 7.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Garza County
Garza County, TX 59.3 Elevated —
Crosby County, TX 74.8 Serious +15.6
Lubbock County, TX 74.3 Serious +15.0
Dickens County, TX 68.5 Serious +9.3
Scurry County, TX 54.5 Elevated -4.8
Kent County, TX 51.6 Elevated -7.6
Lynn County, TX 51.1 Elevated -8.1
Borden County, TX 41.2 Normal -18.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Garza County
Blaine County, OK 59.4 Elevated +0.1
Menifee County, KY 59.6 Elevated +0.3
Galax city, VA 59.6 Elevated +0.3
Todd County, SD 59.6 Elevated +0.3
Donley County, TX 59.6 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Garza 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 Garza 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 Garza County, Texas?

    Garza County has a County Distress Index score of 59.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,000th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 148th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Garza County?

    The primary driver of distress in Garza County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 83.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Garza County compare to neighboring counties?

    Garza County (59.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Crosby County, TX (74.8); Lubbock County, TX (74.3); Dickens County, TX (68.5).

  • 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). Garza County's score of 59.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Garza 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 Garza County?

    Garza County, Texas has a population of approximately 4,517 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.