Henderson County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.6 | 86,158 people · 31st most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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

Henderson County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.6 — 242nd 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 31st of 254 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Henderson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 85.7 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 85.7
Debt in Collections 88
Medical Debt 79
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 94
Subprime Credit Population 83
Housing Cost Burden 69.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 38
Structural Poverty 67.5
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 57
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 72
Transfer Income Dependency 67
Legal Distress 49.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 50
Economic Vitality 49.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Rent-to-Income Ratio 45
Business Formation Rate 43
House Price Change (YoY) 74

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Henderson County
Henderson County, TX 73.6 Serious —
Anderson County, TX 76.8 Serious +3.1
Kaufman County, TX 73.8 Serious +0.2
Navarro County, TX 69.8 Serious -3.8
Ellis County, TX 68.6 Serious -5.0
Freestone County, TX 65.9 Serious -7.7
Smith County, TX 64.9 Elevated -8.7
Cherokee County, TX 62.8 Elevated -10.9
Van Zandt County, TX 61.7 Elevated -11.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Henderson County
Hunt County, TX 73.6 Serious +0.0
Clarke County, GA 73.6 Serious -0.0
Etowah County, AL 73.5 Serious -0.1
Kaufman County, TX 73.8 Serious +0.2
Harrison County, MS 73.8 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Henderson 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 Henderson 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 Henderson County, Texas?

    Henderson County has a County Distress Index score of 73.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 242nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 31st in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Henderson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Henderson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 85.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Henderson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Henderson County (73.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Anderson County, TX (76.8); Kaufman County, TX (73.8); Navarro County, TX (69.8).

  • 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). Henderson County's score of 73.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Henderson 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 Henderson County?

    Henderson County, Texas has a population of approximately 86,158 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.