Houston County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.6 | 22,066 people · 78th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Houston County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.6 — 517th 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 78th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Houston County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.9 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.9
Debt in Collections 96
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 96
Credit Card Delinquency 64
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 81
Structural Poverty 81.2
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 91
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 87
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 75
Housing Cost Burden 46.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 51
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 34
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 33
Homeownership Rate 75
Legal Distress 33.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34
Economic Vitality 26.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 3
Rent-to-Income Ratio 61
Business Formation Rate 39
House Price Change (YoY) 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Houston County
Houston County, TX 67.6 Serious —
Anderson County, TX 76.8 Serious +9.1
Angelina County, TX 75.1 Serious +7.4
Trinity County, TX 74.0 Serious +6.4
Walker County, TX 72.1 Serious +4.4
Madison County, TX 69.0 Serious +1.4
Cherokee County, TX 62.8 Elevated -4.9
Leon County, TX 52.1 Elevated -15.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Houston County
Berrien County, GA 67.6 Serious -0.0
Carter County, OK 67.7 Serious +0.1
Assumption Parish, LA 67.5 Serious -0.1
Johnson County, AR 67.7 Serious +0.1
Baker County, FL 67.7 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Houston 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 Houston 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 Houston County, Texas?

    Houston County has a County Distress Index score of 67.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 517th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 78th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Houston County?

    The primary driver of distress in Houston County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Houston County compare to neighboring counties?

    Houston County (67.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Anderson County, TX (76.8); Angelina County, TX (75.1); Trinity County, TX (74.0).

  • 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). Houston County's score of 67.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Houston 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 Houston County?

    Houston County, Texas has a population of approximately 22,066 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.