Gillespie County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.6 | 27,733 people · 250th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Gillespie County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.6 — 2448th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Texas, it ranks 250th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Gillespie County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 66.5 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 66.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 46
Housing Cost Burden 54.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 30
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 66
Consumer Credit Distress 28.3
Debt in Collections 26
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 8
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 15
Structural Poverty 21.2
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 26
Disability Rate 42
Transfer Income Dependency 16
Legal Distress 13.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Gillespie County
Gillespie County, TX 35.6 Normal —
Kerr County, TX 49.7 Normal +14.1
Kimble County, TX 46.4 Normal +10.9
Llano County, TX 44.8 Normal +9.2
Mason County, TX 40.1 Normal +4.5
Kendall County, TX 39.0 Normal +3.5
Blanco County, TX 33.9 Healthy -1.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Gillespie County
Martin County, MN 35.5 Normal -0.1
Payette County, ID 35.6 Normal +0.1
Juniata County, PA 35.6 Normal +0.1
Richland County, MT 35.6 Normal +0.1
Ottawa County, OH 35.8 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Gillespie 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 Gillespie 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Gillespie County, Texas?

    Gillespie County has a County Distress Index score of 35.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,448th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 250th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gillespie County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gillespie County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 66.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Gillespie County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gillespie County (35.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Kerr County, TX (49.7); Kimble County, TX (46.4); Llano County, TX (44.8).

  • 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 Normal 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). Gillespie County's score of 35.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Gillespie 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 Gillespie County?

    Gillespie County, Texas has a population of approximately 27,733 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.