Hardin County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.3 | 58,261 people · 139th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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

Hardin County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.3 — 933rd 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 139th of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hardin County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 76.4 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 76.4
Debt in Collections 84
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 64
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 76
Legal Distress 51.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 51
Housing Cost Burden 49.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 54
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 9
Economic Vitality 41.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 53
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 59
House Price Change (YoY) 22
Structural Poverty 39.6
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 33
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 36
Disability Rate 69
Transfer Income Dependency 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hardin County
Hardin County, TX 60.3 Elevated —
Liberty County, TX 76.9 Serious +16.6
Jefferson County, TX 73.3 Serious +13.0
Polk County, TX 70.6 Serious +10.3
Tyler County, TX 69.3 Serious +9.0
Orange County, TX 68.5 Serious +8.2
Jasper County, TX 63.5 Elevated +3.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hardin County
St. Charles Parish, LA 60.2 Elevated -0.1
Crawford County, AR 60.5 Elevated +0.2
Lafayette County, MS 60.1 Elevated -0.2
Kanawha County, WV 60.1 Elevated -0.2
Elkhart County, IN 60.0 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hardin 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 Hardin 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 Hardin County, Texas?

    Hardin County has a County Distress Index score of 60.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 933rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 139th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hardin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hardin County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 76.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Hardin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hardin County (60.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Liberty County, TX (76.9); Jefferson County, TX (73.3); Polk County, TX (70.6).

  • 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). Hardin County's score of 60.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Hardin 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 Hardin County?

    Hardin County, Texas has a population of approximately 58,261 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.