Gregg County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.0 | 126,243 people · 25th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Gregg County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.0 — 226th 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 25th of 254 counties. It scores higher than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Gregg County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.4 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.4
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Uninsured Rate 93
Subprime Credit Population 82
Housing Cost Burden 80.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 82
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 48
Homeownership Rate 93
Economic Vitality 52.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 32
House Price Change (YoY) 69
Structural Poverty 52.0
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 68
Income vs. State Median 46
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 25
Transfer Income Dependency 44
Legal Distress 42.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 43

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Gregg County
Gregg County, TX 74.0 Serious —
Harrison County, TX 65.9 Serious -8.2
Rusk County, TX 65.3 Serious -8.8
Upshur County, TX 65.0 Serious -9.0
Smith County, TX 64.9 Elevated -9.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Gregg County
Sumter County, SC 74.1 Serious +0.0
Victoria County, TX 73.8 Serious -0.2
Bowie County, TX 74.3 Serious +0.2
Harrison County, MS 73.8 Serious -0.3
Kaufman County, TX 73.8 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Gregg 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 Gregg 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 Gregg County, Texas?

    Gregg County has a County Distress Index score of 74.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 226th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gregg County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gregg County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Gregg County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gregg County (74.0) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Harrison County, TX (65.9); Rusk County, TX (65.3); Upshur County, TX (65.0).

  • 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). Gregg County's score of 74.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Gregg 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 Gregg County?

    Gregg County, Texas has a population of approximately 126,243 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.