Hale County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.3 | 31,761 people · 41st most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Hale County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.3 — 298th 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 41st of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hale County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 91.7 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 91.7
Debt in Collections 96
Medical Debt 92
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Uninsured Rate 99
Subprime Credit Population 91
Structural Poverty 66.1
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 29
Transfer Income Dependency 61
Housing Cost Burden 60.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 66
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 93
Economic Vitality 53.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 88
House Price Change (YoY) 32
Legal Distress 19.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hale County
Hale County, TX 72.3 Serious —
Crosby County, TX 74.8 Serious +2.5
Lubbock County, TX 74.3 Serious +2.0
Swisher County, TX 67.3 Serious -5.0
Floyd County, TX 65.4 Serious -6.9
Hockley County, TX 64.3 Elevated -8.0
Lamb County, TX 59.5 Elevated -12.8
Castro County, TX 53.8 Elevated -18.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hale County
Clark County, AR 72.4 Serious +0.1
McCreary County, KY 72.2 Serious -0.1
Palo Pinto County, TX 72.2 Serious -0.1
Bradley County, AR 72.4 Serious +0.1
Warren County, NC 72.4 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hale 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 Hale 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Hale County has a County Distress Index score of 72.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 298th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hale County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hale County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 91.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Hale County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hale County (72.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Crosby County, TX (74.8); Lubbock County, TX (74.3); Swisher County, TX (67.3).

  • 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). Hale County's score of 72.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Hale 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 Hale County?

    Hale County, Texas has a population of approximately 31,761 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.