Johnson County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.9 | 202,906 people · 56th most distressed in Texas
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Johnson County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.9 — 395th 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 56th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Johnson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 83.5 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 83.5
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 97
Auto Loan Delinquency 75
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 91
Subprime Credit Population 81
Economic Vitality 76.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Business Formation Rate 25
House Price Change (YoY) 87
Legal Distress 72.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Housing Cost Burden 68.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 92
Homeownership Rate 50
Structural Poverty 18.8
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 23
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Johnson County, TX 69.9 Serious —
Tarrant County, TX 72.6 Serious +2.7
Ellis County, TX 68.6 Serious -1.3
Hill County, TX 64.7 Elevated -5.2
Hood County, TX 58.4 Elevated -11.5
Parker County, TX 55.0 Elevated -14.9
Bosque County, TX 53.2 Elevated -16.7
Somervell County, TX 32.8 Healthy -37.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Navarro County, TX 69.8 Serious -0.1
Acadia Parish, LA 70.1 Serious +0.2
Garland County, AR 69.7 Serious -0.2
Cleveland County, NC 69.7 Serious -0.2
Hernando County, FL 70.1 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson County, Texas?

    Johnson County has a County Distress Index score of 69.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 395th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Johnson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Johnson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 83.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Johnson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Johnson County (69.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Tarrant County, TX (72.6); Ellis County, TX (68.6); Hill County, TX (64.7).

  • 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). Johnson County's score of 69.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Johnson 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 Johnson County?

    Johnson County, Texas has a population of approximately 202,906 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.