Kinney County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.1 | 3,148 people · 164th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Kinney County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.1 — 1266th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Texas, it ranks 164th of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Kinney County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 81.0 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 81.0
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 77
Child Poverty Rate 82
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 84
Consumer Credit Distress 73.0
Debt in Collections 64
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 73
Uninsured Rate 93
Subprime Credit Population 71
Economic Vitality 50.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 65
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Housing Cost Burden 19.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 38
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Kinney County
Kinney County, TX 55.1 Elevated —
Maverick County, TX 75.9 Serious +20.8
Zavala County, TX 69.7 Serious +14.6
Uvalde County, TX 69.3 Serious +14.2
Val Verde County, TX 64.9 Elevated +9.8
Edwards County, TX 61.5 Elevated +6.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Kinney County
King and Queen County, VA 55.2 Elevated +0.1
Wheeler County, TX 54.9 Elevated -0.2
Perry County, TN 54.8 Elevated -0.3
Clay County, TN 54.8 Elevated -0.3
Calhoun County, WV 54.8 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Kinney 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 Kinney 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Kinney County, Texas?

    Kinney County has a County Distress Index score of 55.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,266th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 164th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kinney County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kinney County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 81.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Kinney County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kinney County (55.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Maverick County, TX (75.9); Zavala County, TX (69.7); Uvalde County, TX (69.3).

  • 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). Kinney County's score of 55.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Kinney 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 Kinney County?

    Kinney County, Texas has a population of approximately 3,148 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.