Liberty County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.9 | 108,272 people · 10th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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

Liberty County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.9 — 130th 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 10th of 254 counties. It scores higher 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. Liberty County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 93.4 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 93.4
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 99
Subprime Credit Population 97
Economic Vitality 78.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 34
House Price Change (YoY) 90
Housing Cost Burden 73.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 16
Structural Poverty 46.2
Unemployment Rate 86
Poverty Rate 58
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 63
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 37
Legal Distress 34.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Liberty County
Liberty County, TX 76.9 Serious —
Jefferson County, TX 73.3 Serious -3.7
Harris County, TX 70.6 Serious -6.3
Polk County, TX 70.6 Serious -6.4
San Jacinto County, TX 64.5 Elevated -12.4
Hardin County, TX 60.3 Elevated -16.6
Montgomery County, TX 56.3 Elevated -20.6
Chambers County, TX 46.8 Normal -30.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Liberty County
Carroll County, GA 76.9 Serious -0.0
Jefferson County, AR 77.0 Serious +0.1
Nacogdoches County, TX 77.0 Serious +0.1
Floyd County, GA 77.0 Serious +0.1
Hampton city, VA 77.1 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Liberty 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 Liberty 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 Liberty County, Texas?

    Liberty County has a County Distress Index score of 76.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 130th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Liberty County?

    The primary driver of distress in Liberty County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 93.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Liberty County compare to neighboring counties?

    Liberty County (76.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, TX (73.3); Harris County, TX (70.6); Polk County, TX (70.6).

  • 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 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). Liberty County's score of 76.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Liberty 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 Liberty County?

    Liberty County, Texas has a population of approximately 108,272 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.