Kenedy County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.5 | 343 people · 163rd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Kenedy County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.5 — 1242nd 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 163rd of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Kenedy County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 77.3 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 77.3
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 73
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 68.1
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 64
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 15
Economic Vitality 37.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 6
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 17
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Legal Distress 24.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25
Housing Cost Burden 19.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 95

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Kenedy County
Kenedy County, TX 55.5 Elevated —
Hidalgo County, TX 79.2 Serious +23.7
Kleberg County, TX 78.6 Serious +23.1
Willacy County, TX 76.2 Serious +20.7
Brooks County, TX 69.9 Serious +14.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Kenedy County
Hidalgo County, NM 55.5 Elevated 0.0
Northwest Arctic Borough, AK 55.5 Elevated -0.0
King and Queen County, VA 55.2 Elevated -0.3
Livingston County, KY 55.8 Elevated +0.4
Kinney County, TX 55.1 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Kenedy 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 Kenedy 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 Kenedy County, Texas?

    Kenedy County has a County Distress Index score of 55.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,242nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 163rd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kenedy County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kenedy County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 77.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Kenedy County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kenedy County (55.5) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Hidalgo County, TX (79.2); Kleberg County, TX (78.6); Willacy County, TX (76.2).

  • 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 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). Kenedy County's score of 55.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Kenedy 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 Kenedy County?

    Kenedy County, Texas has a population of approximately 343 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.