Hill County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.7 | 38,101 people · 95th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Hill County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.7 — 656th 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 95th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hill County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 85.3 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 85.3
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 96
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 67
Uninsured Rate 94
Subprime Credit Population 83
Structural Poverty 54.3
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 44
Child Poverty Rate 58
Disability Rate 67
Transfer Income Dependency 58
Housing Cost Burden 50.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 34
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 68
Homeownership Rate 39
Legal Distress 36.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 36
Economic Vitality 31.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 40
House Price Change (YoY) 56

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hill County
Hill County, TX 64.7 Elevated —
McLennan County, TX 71.1 Serious +6.4
Johnson County, TX 69.9 Serious +5.2
Navarro County, TX 69.8 Serious +5.1
Ellis County, TX 68.6 Serious +3.9
Limestone County, TX 65.4 Serious +0.7
Bosque County, TX 53.2 Elevated -11.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hill County
Dooly County, GA 64.7 Elevated +0.0
Adair County, KY 64.7 Elevated -0.0
Pierce County, GA 64.7 Elevated -0.0
Morgan County, KY 64.7 Elevated -0.0
Wharton County, TX 64.7 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hill 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 Hill 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 Hill County, Texas?

    Hill County has a County Distress Index score of 64.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 656th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 95th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hill County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hill County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 85.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Hill County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hill County (64.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: McLennan County, TX (71.1); Johnson County, TX (69.9); 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 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). Hill County's score of 64.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Hill 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 Hill County?

    Hill County, Texas has a population of approximately 38,101 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.