Karnes County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.2 | 15,018 people · 64th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Karnes County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.2 — 431st 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 64th 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. Karnes County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 88.9 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 88.9
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 80
Uninsured Rate 91
Subprime Credit Population 90
Housing Cost Burden 66.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 21
Homeownership Rate 84
Structural Poverty 52.6
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 63
Transfer Income Dependency 10
Economic Vitality 49.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 15
Rent-to-Income Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 84
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Legal Distress 6.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Karnes County
Karnes County, TX 69.2 Serious —
Bee County, TX 79.8 Serious +10.7
Atascosa County, TX 68.4 Serious -0.8
DeWitt County, TX 64.2 Elevated -5.0
Live Oak County, TX 60.4 Elevated -8.8
Gonzales County, TX 59.4 Elevated -9.8
Wilson County, TX 51.2 Elevated -17.9
Goliad County, TX 46.9 Normal -22.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Karnes County
Erath County, TX 69.2 Serious +0.0
Pointe Coupee Parish, LA 69.2 Serious +0.1
Heard County, GA 69.2 Serious +0.1
Yalobusha County, MS 69.2 Serious +0.1
Geneva County, AL 69.2 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Karnes 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 Karnes 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 Karnes County, Texas?

    Karnes County has a County Distress Index score of 69.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 431st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 64th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Karnes County?

    The primary driver of distress in Karnes County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 88.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Karnes County compare to neighboring counties?

    Karnes County (69.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Bee County, TX (79.8); Atascosa County, TX (68.4); DeWitt County, TX (64.2).

  • 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). Karnes County's score of 69.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Karnes 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 Karnes County?

    Karnes County, Texas has a population of approximately 15,018 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.