Lee County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.9 | 18,240 people · 167th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Lee County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.9 — 1282nd 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 167th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lee County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 68.9 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 68.9
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 93
Subprime Credit Population 67
Housing Cost Burden 64.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 86
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 54
Homeownership Rate 29
Structural Poverty 31.8
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 31
Income vs. State Median 19
Child Poverty Rate 40
Disability Rate 50
Transfer Income Dependency 28
Economic Vitality 28.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31
Business Formation Rate 49
House Price Change (YoY) 30
Legal Distress 9.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Lee County, TX 54.9 Elevated —
Milam County, TX 64.4 Elevated +9.5
Bastrop County, TX 61.1 Elevated +6.3
Washington County, TX 52.0 Elevated -2.8
Williamson County, TX 49.7 Normal -5.2
Burleson County, TX 48.4 Normal -6.5
Fayette County, TX 46.7 Normal -8.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Lawrence County, AL 54.9 Elevated +0.0
Grant County, NM 54.9 Elevated +0.0
Ogemaw County, MI 54.9 Elevated +0.0
Lyon County, KS 54.8 Elevated -0.0
Hardin County, OH 54.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lee 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 Lee 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 Lee County, Texas?

    Lee County has a County Distress Index score of 54.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,282nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 167th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lee County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 68.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Lee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lee County (54.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Milam County, TX (64.4); Bastrop County, TX (61.1); Washington County, TX (52.0).

  • 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 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). Lee County's score of 54.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lee 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 Lee County?

    Lee County, Texas has a population of approximately 18,240 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.