King County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.4 | 217 people · 225th most distressed in Texas
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King County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.4 — 1813th 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 225th of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. King County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 74.0 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 74.0
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 73
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 80
Economic Vitality 25.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Legal Distress 24.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25
Housing Cost Burden 21.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 26
Homeownership Rate 95
Structural Poverty 16.8
Unemployment Rate 5
Poverty Rate 18
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 11
Disability Rate 65
Transfer Income Dependency 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. King County
King County, TX 46.4 Normal —
Foard County, TX 69.5 Serious +23.1
Dickens County, TX 68.5 Serious +22.1
Haskell County, TX 63.5 Elevated +17.1
Motley County, TX 56.1 Elevated +9.6
Stonewall County, TX 54.2 Elevated +7.7
Kent County, TX 51.6 Elevated +5.2
Knox County, TX 51.6 Elevated +5.2
Cottle County, TX 51.6 Elevated +5.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. King County
Kimble County, TX 46.4 Normal -0.0
Conejos County, CO 46.4 Normal -0.0
Pickett County, TN 46.4 Normal -0.0
Johnson County, NE 46.3 Normal -0.2
Lincoln County, NV 46.2 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in King 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 King 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 King County, Texas?

    King County has a County Distress Index score of 46.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,813th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 225th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in King County?

    The primary driver of distress in King County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 74.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does King County compare to neighboring counties?

    King County (46.4) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Foard County, TX (69.5); Dickens County, TX (68.5); Haskell County, TX (63.5).

  • 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 Normal 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). King County's score of 46.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    King 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 King County?

    King County, Texas has a population of approximately 217 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.