Hartley County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.1 | 5,145 people · 251st most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Hartley County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.1 — 2472nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Texas, it ranks 251st 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. Hartley County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 51.3 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 51.3
Debt in Collections 43
Medical Debt 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 15
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 85
Subprime Credit Population 49
Economic Vitality 27.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 19
House Price Change (YoY) 10
Legal Distress 23.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24
Housing Cost Burden 23.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 37
Structural Poverty 8.6
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 9
Transfer Income Dependency 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hartley County
Hartley County, TX 35.1 Normal —
Moore County, TX 55.6 Elevated +20.5
Quay County, NM 53.6 Elevated +18.5
Dallam County, TX 51.3 Elevated +16.2
Oldham County, TX 49.6 Normal +14.5
Union County, NM 48.5 Normal +13.5
Sherman County, TX 39.0 Normal +3.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hartley County
Norman County, MN 35.1 Normal +0.1
Mathews County, VA 35.2 Normal +0.1
Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK 35.0 Healthy -0.1
Kearny County, KS 35.2 Normal +0.1
Columbia County, WA 34.9 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hartley 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 Hartley 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Hartley County has a County Distress Index score of 35.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,472nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 251st in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hartley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hartley County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 51.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Hartley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hartley County (35.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Moore County, TX (55.6); Quay County, NM (53.6); Dallam County, TX (51.3).

  • 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 Normal 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). Hartley County's score of 35.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Hartley 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 Hartley County?

    Hartley County, Texas has a population of approximately 5,145 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.