Lavaca County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.7 | 20,571 people · 249th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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

Lavaca County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.7 — 2380th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Texas, it ranks 249th of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lavaca County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 45.7 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 45.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 36
Business Formation Rate 63
House Price Change (YoY) 14
Consumer Credit Distress 43.0
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 14
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 39
Structural Poverty 35.5
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 41
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 43
Housing Cost Burden 29.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 26
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 40
Legal Distress 9.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lavaca County
Lavaca County, TX 36.7 Normal —
Victoria County, TX 73.8 Serious +37.1
DeWitt County, TX 64.2 Elevated +27.4
Jackson County, TX 62.0 Elevated +25.3
Gonzales County, TX 59.4 Elevated +22.7
Colorado County, TX 49.4 Normal +12.6
Fayette County, TX 46.7 Normal +10.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lavaca County
Morgan County, WV 36.7 Normal +0.0
Latah County, ID 36.7 Normal -0.0
Fluvanna County, VA 36.8 Normal +0.1
Nelson County, VA 36.8 Normal +0.1
Polk County, MN 36.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lavaca 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 Lavaca 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 Lavaca County, Texas?

    Lavaca County has a County Distress Index score of 36.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,380th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 249th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lavaca County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lavaca County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 45.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Lavaca County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lavaca County (36.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Victoria County, TX (73.8); DeWitt County, TX (64.2); Jackson County, TX (62.0).

  • 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). Lavaca County's score of 36.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Lavaca 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 Lavaca County?

    Lavaca County, Texas has a population of approximately 20,571 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.