Leon County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.1 | 16,538 people · 186th most distressed in Texas
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Leon County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.1 — 1445th 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 186th of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Leon County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 77.6 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 77.6
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 91
Subprime Credit Population 62
Structural Poverty 61.2
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 51
Income vs. State Median 54
Child Poverty Rate 66
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 61
Economic Vitality 27.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 35
Business Formation Rate 47
House Price Change (YoY) 79
Housing Cost Burden 16.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 12
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 17
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 35
Legal Distress 8.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Leon County
Leon County, TX 52.1 Elevated —
Anderson County, TX 76.8 Serious +24.6
Madison County, TX 69.0 Serious +16.9
Houston County, TX 67.6 Serious +15.5
Freestone County, TX 65.9 Serious +13.8
Limestone County, TX 65.4 Serious +13.3
Brazos County, TX 65.3 Serious +13.1
Robertson County, TX 62.5 Elevated +10.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Leon County
Clay County, NC 52.1 Elevated +0.0
Jefferson County, IN 52.1 Elevated -0.0
Wexford County, MI 52.2 Elevated +0.0
Boone County, AR 52.1 Elevated -0.1
Roscommon County, MI 52.2 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Leon 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 Leon 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 Leon County, Texas?

    Leon County has a County Distress Index score of 52.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,445th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 186th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Leon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Leon County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 77.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Leon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Leon County (52.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Anderson County, TX (76.8); Madison County, TX (69.0); Houston County, TX (67.6).

  • 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). Leon County's score of 52.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Leon 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 Leon County?

    Leon County, Texas has a population of approximately 16,538 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.