Jeff Davis County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.1 | 1,856 people · 103rd most distressed in Texas
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Jeff Davis County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.1 — 698th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Texas, it ranks 103rd of 254 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jeff Davis County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.3 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 5
Consumer Credit Distress 66.4
Debt in Collections 75
Medical Debt 93
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 73
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 18
Economic Vitality 55.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 29
Business Formation Rate 42
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Structural Poverty 53.6
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 44
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 74
Disability Rate 90
Transfer Income Dependency 41
Legal Distress 40.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jeff Davis County
Jeff Davis County, TX 64.1 Elevated —
Hudspeth County, TX 62.4 Elevated -1.7
Reeves County, TX 61.4 Elevated -2.7
Pecos County, TX 60.6 Elevated -3.5
Culberson County, TX 52.9 Elevated -11.2
Brewster County, TX 44.8 Normal -19.3
Presidio County, TX 44.7 Normal -19.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jeff Davis County
Baylor County, TX 64.1 Elevated -0.0
Kiowa County, OK 64.3 Elevated +0.1
Nicholas County, KY 64.3 Elevated +0.2
Delta County, TX 63.8 Elevated -0.3
Lake County, OR 64.4 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Jeff Davis County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Jeff Davis 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 Jeff Davis 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 Jeff Davis County, Texas?

    Jeff Davis County has a County Distress Index score of 64.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 698th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 103rd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jeff Davis County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jeff Davis County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Jeff Davis County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jeff Davis County (64.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hudspeth County, TX (62.4); Reeves County, TX (61.4); Pecos County, TX (60.6).

  • 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). Jeff Davis County's score of 64.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Jeff Davis County's CDI score?

    Jeff Davis 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 Jeff Davis County?

    Jeff Davis County, Texas has a population of approximately 1,856 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.