Goliad County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.9 | 7,144 people · 222nd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Goliad County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.9 — 1783rd 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 222nd 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. Goliad County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 81.5 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 81.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 86
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 53
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Consumer Credit Distress 55.8
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 11
Uninsured Rate 81
Subprime Credit Population 70
Structural Poverty 51.6
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 36
Child Poverty Rate 71
Disability Rate 56
Transfer Income Dependency 41
Legal Distress 27.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 28
Housing Cost Burden 17.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 23
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 16
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Goliad County
Goliad County, TX 46.9 Normal —
Bee County, TX 79.8 Serious +32.9
Refugio County, TX 75.5 Serious +28.6
Victoria County, TX 73.8 Serious +26.9
Karnes County, TX 69.2 Serious +22.3
DeWitt County, TX 64.2 Elevated +17.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Goliad County
Mineral County, CO 46.9 Normal +0.0
Corson County, SD 46.9 Normal -0.0
Dillingham Census Area, AK 46.8 Normal -0.1
Hickman County, KY 46.8 Normal -0.1
White Pine County, NV 46.7 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Goliad 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 Goliad 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 Goliad County, Texas?

    Goliad County has a County Distress Index score of 46.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,783rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 222nd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Goliad County?

    The primary driver of distress in Goliad County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 81.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Goliad County compare to neighboring counties?

    Goliad County (46.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Bee County, TX (79.8); Refugio County, TX (75.5); Victoria County, TX (73.8).

  • 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). Goliad County's score of 46.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Goliad 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 Goliad County?

    Goliad County, Texas has a population of approximately 7,144 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.