Hockley County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.3 | 21,460 people · 101st most distressed in Texas
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Hockley County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.3 — 686th 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 101st of 254 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hockley County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 90.3 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 90.3
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 92
Structural Poverty 51.7
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 60
Disability Rate 50
Transfer Income Dependency 50
Housing Cost Burden 45.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 59
Legal Distress 27.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 28
Economic Vitality 23.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 3
Rent-to-Income Ratio 30
Business Formation Rate 74
House Price Change (YoY) 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hockley County
Hockley County, TX 64.3 Elevated —
Terry County, TX 76.8 Serious +12.4
Lubbock County, TX 74.3 Serious +10.0
Hale County, TX 72.3 Serious +8.0
Cochran County, TX 61.1 Elevated -3.2
Lamb County, TX 59.5 Elevated -4.8
Lynn County, TX 51.1 Elevated -13.2
Bailey County, TX 48.3 Normal -16.0
Yoakum County, TX 42.8 Normal -21.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hockley County
Perry County, KY 64.3 Elevated 0.0
Deaf Smith County, TX 64.4 Elevated +0.0
Logan County, WV 64.3 Elevated -0.0
Macon County, TN 64.4 Elevated +0.0
Walthall County, MS 64.4 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hockley 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 Hockley 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 Hockley County, Texas?

    Hockley County has a County Distress Index score of 64.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 686th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 101st in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hockley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hockley County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 90.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Hockley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hockley County (64.3) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Terry County, TX (76.8); Lubbock County, TX (74.3); Hale County, TX (72.3).

  • 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 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). Hockley County's score of 64.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Hockley 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 Hockley County?

    Hockley County, Texas has a population of approximately 21,460 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.