Live Oak County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.4 | 11,584 people · 136th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Live Oak County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.4 — 927th 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 136th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Live Oak County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 88.0 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 88.0
Debt in Collections 94
Medical Debt 89
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 76
Uninsured Rate 94
Subprime Credit Population 83
Structural Poverty 60.6
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 75
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 37
Housing Cost Burden 31.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 57
Economic Vitality 28.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 72
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Legal Distress 7.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Live Oak County
Live Oak County, TX 60.4 Elevated —
Jim Wells County, TX 81.0 Crisis +20.6
Bee County, TX 79.8 Serious +19.5
San Patricio County, TX 72.6 Serious +12.2
Karnes County, TX 69.2 Serious +8.8
Duval County, TX 68.7 Serious +8.3
Atascosa County, TX 68.4 Serious +8.0
McMullen County, TX 52.9 Elevated -7.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Live Oak County
Pike County, AR 60.4 Elevated -0.0
Big Horn County, MT 60.3 Elevated -0.0
Austin County, TX 60.3 Elevated -0.0
Wood County, TX 60.3 Elevated -0.0
Dinwiddie County, VA 60.3 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Live Oak County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Live Oak 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 Live Oak 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 Live Oak County, Texas?

    Live Oak County has a County Distress Index score of 60.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 927th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 136th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Live Oak County?

    The primary driver of distress in Live Oak County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 88.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Live Oak County compare to neighboring counties?

    Live Oak County (60.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jim Wells County, TX (81.0); Bee County, TX (79.8); San Patricio County, TX (72.6).

  • 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). Live Oak County's score of 60.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Live Oak County's CDI score?

    Live Oak 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 Live Oak County?

    Live Oak County, Texas has a population of approximately 11,584 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.