Howard County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.5 | 30,554 people · 87th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Howard County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.5 — 614th 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 87th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Howard County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 92.6 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 92.6
Debt in Collections 97
Medical Debt 92
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 93
Uninsured Rate 86
Subprime Credit Population 94
Housing Cost Burden 51.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 76
Structural Poverty 44.7
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 68
Disability Rate 58
Transfer Income Dependency 18
Economic Vitality 34.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 17
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 40
House Price Change (YoY) 32
Legal Distress 9.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Howard County
Howard County, TX 65.5 Serious —
Dawson County, TX 68.5 Serious +3.0
Mitchell County, TX 62.3 Elevated -3.2
Sterling County, TX 52.0 Elevated -13.6
Martin County, TX 49.1 Normal -16.4
Glasscock County, TX 43.4 Normal -22.1
Borden County, TX 41.2 Normal -24.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Howard County
Suwannee County, FL 65.6 Serious +0.1
Pushmataha County, OK 65.4 Serious -0.1
Edgefield County, SC 65.4 Serious -0.1
Dixie County, FL 65.6 Serious +0.1
Limestone County, TX 65.4 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Howard 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 Howard 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 Howard County, Texas?

    Howard County has a County Distress Index score of 65.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 614th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 87th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Howard County?

    The primary driver of distress in Howard County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 92.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Howard County compare to neighboring counties?

    Howard County (65.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Dawson County, TX (68.5); Mitchell County, TX (62.3); Sterling County, TX (52.0).

  • 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). Howard County's score of 65.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Howard 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 Howard County?

    Howard County, Texas has a population of approximately 30,554 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.