Harrison County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.9 | 70,895 people · 86th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Harrison County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.9 — 603rd 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 86th of 254 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Harrison County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 79.8 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 79.8
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 65
Uninsured Rate 87
Subprime Credit Population 83
Structural Poverty 57.0
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 74
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 74
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 40
Housing Cost Burden 56.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 33
Homeownership Rate 47
Economic Vitality 49.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 37
House Price Change (YoY) 17
Legal Distress 40.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Harrison County
Harrison County, TX 65.9 Serious —
Caddo Parish, LA 82.7 Crisis +16.8
Gregg County, TX 74.0 Serious +8.2
Marion County, TX 68.7 Serious +2.9
Rusk County, TX 65.3 Serious -0.6
Upshur County, TX 65.0 Serious -0.8
Panola County, TX 59.8 Elevated -6.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Harrison County
Mahoning County, OH 65.8 Serious -0.0
Howard County, IN 65.8 Serious -0.1
Nye County, NV 66.0 Serious +0.1
Grant County, IN 65.7 Serious -0.2
Trumbull County, OH 66.0 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Harrison 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 Harrison 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 Harrison County, Texas?

    Harrison County has a County Distress Index score of 65.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 603rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 86th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Harrison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Harrison County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 79.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Harrison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Harrison County (65.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Caddo Parish, LA (82.7); Gregg County, TX (74.0); Marion County, TX (68.7).

  • 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). Harrison County's score of 65.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Harrison 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 Harrison County?

    Harrison County, Texas has a population of approximately 70,895 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.