Lamar County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.1 | 51,127 people · 46th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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

Lamar County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.1 — 344th 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 46th of 254 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lamar County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 84.8 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 84.8
Debt in Collections 94
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 96
Subprime Credit Population 82
Housing Cost Burden 74.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 65
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 24
Homeownership Rate 82
Structural Poverty 72.4
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 67
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 69
Transfer Income Dependency 71
Economic Vitality 35.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 24
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 47
House Price Change (YoY) 34
Legal Distress 15.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lamar County
Lamar County, TX 71.1 Serious —
Red River County, TX 74.2 Serious +3.0
Bryan County, OK 72.8 Serious +1.7
Choctaw County, OK 71.3 Serious +0.2
Fannin County, TX 63.9 Elevated -7.3
Delta County, TX 63.8 Elevated -7.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lamar County
Columbia County, FL 71.0 Serious -0.1
Ross County, OH 71.3 Serious +0.2
Kent County, DE 71.4 Serious +0.3
Wayne County, NC 71.4 Serious +0.3
Jones County, MS 70.8 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lamar 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 Lamar 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 Lamar County, Texas?

    Lamar County has a County Distress Index score of 71.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 344th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lamar County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lamar County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 84.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Lamar County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lamar County (71.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Red River County, TX (74.2); Bryan County, OK (72.8); Choctaw County, OK (71.3).

  • 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 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). Lamar County's score of 71.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Lamar 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 Lamar County?

    Lamar County, Texas has a population of approximately 51,127 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.