Hays County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.1 | 280,486 people · 130th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Hays County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.1 — 880th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Texas, it ranks 130th of 254 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hays County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 96.8 — worse than roughly 97% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 96.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 86
Economic Vitality 78.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 97
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 22
House Price Change (YoY) 88
Consumer Credit Distress 59.9
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Uninsured Rate 77
Subprime Credit Population 66
Legal Distress 30.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31
Structural Poverty 11.8
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 19
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 8
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 4

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hays County
Hays County, TX 61.1 Elevated —
Caldwell County, TX 70.5 Serious +9.4
Guadalupe County, TX 52.9 Elevated -8.2
Travis County, TX 51.2 Elevated -9.9
Comal County, TX 47.4 Normal -13.8
Blanco County, TX 33.9 Healthy -27.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hays County
Cobb County, GA 61.0 Elevated -0.1
Brevard County, FL 61.0 Elevated -0.1
Lehigh County, PA 61.2 Elevated +0.1
Pinellas County, FL 61.0 Elevated -0.1
Spartanburg County, SC 61.2 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hays 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 Hays 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 Hays County, Texas?

    Hays County has a County Distress Index score of 61.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 880th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 130th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hays County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hays County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 96.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hays County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hays County (61.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Caldwell County, TX (70.5); Guadalupe County, TX (52.9); Travis County, TX (51.2).

  • 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). Hays County's score of 61.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Hays 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 Hays County?

    Hays County, Texas has a population of approximately 280,486 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.