Harris County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.6 | 4,835,125 people · 50th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Texas sells itself on low cost of living and no state income tax. Harris County — Houston, the energy capital — is one of the main landing pads for that pitch. What the pitch doesn't mention is the Debt & Delinquency score: 74.3, with 86.6% of the county ranking above peers in debt sent to collections. The uninsured rate is the other number worth sitting with. At the 97.2nd percentile, Harris County has one of the highest concentrations of uninsured residents in the country. Medical debt in collections ranks at the 63.9th percentile. The connection is direct. Without insurance, a single medical event becomes a debt event, and that debt goes to collections. Auto loan delinquency is at the 85th percentile. Credit card delinquency is at the 78th. This is a county where the debt pipeline is fully active. Harris County's overall 59.2 score puts it in the upper range of Elevated, ranking 894th nationally and 123rd among Texas's 254 counties. Its neighbors — Liberty County at 67.5 (Serious), Galveston at 55.8, Waller at 56.6 — suggest the distress isn't isolated. The entire Houston metro corridor registers elevated or worse.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Harris County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 90.0 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 90.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 87
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 97
Consumer Credit Distress 82.4
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 78
Uninsured Rate 97
Subprime Credit Population 86
Legal Distress 43.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 44
Economic Vitality 39.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 83
Structural Poverty 33.9
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 68
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 71
Disability Rate 7
Transfer Income Dependency 3

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Harris County
Harris County, TX 70.6 Serious —
Liberty County, TX 76.9 Serious +6.3
Galveston County, TX 64.4 Elevated -6.2
Waller County, TX 60.8 Elevated -9.8
Brazoria County, TX 58.4 Elevated -12.3
Montgomery County, TX 56.3 Elevated -14.3
Fort Bend County, TX 54.3 Elevated -16.3
Chambers County, TX 46.8 Normal -23.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Harris County
Miami-Dade County, FL 70.7 Serious +0.1
Hillsborough County, FL 71.5 Serious +0.9
Broward County, FL 69.5 Serious -1.2
San Bernardino County, CA 68.7 Serious -1.9
Tarrant County, TX 72.6 Serious +1.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Harris County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Harris County.

AVENUE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Houston
713-864-9099 Website
Foreclosure PreventionHome Improvement/RehabPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTER
Houston
713-271-6100-100 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
CREDIT COALITION
Houston
713-224-8100 Website
Post-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer EducationReverse Mortgage
CREDIT COALITION HECM-HOPE
Houston
713-224-8100 Website
Reverse Mortgage
EASTER SEALS OF GREATER HOUSTON, INC.
Houston
713-838-9050 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Texas →

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 Harris 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 Harris County, Texas?

    Harris County has a County Distress Index score of 70.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 363rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 50th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Harris County?

    The primary driver of distress in Harris County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 90.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Harris County compare to neighboring counties?

    Harris County (70.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Liberty County, TX (76.9); Galveston County, TX (64.4); Waller County, TX (60.8).

  • 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 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). Harris County's score of 70.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Harris 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 Harris County?

    Harris County, Texas has a population of approximately 4,835,125 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.