Martin County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.1 | 5,216 people · 206th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Martin County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.1 — 1631st 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 206th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Martin County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 77.7 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 77.7
Debt in Collections 82
Medical Debt 79
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 73
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 75
Economic Vitality 63.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 18
House Price Change (YoY) 29
Housing Cost Burden 16.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 80
Structural Poverty 16.7
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 37
Income vs. State Median 8
Child Poverty Rate 40
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Legal Distress 5.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Martin County
Martin County, TX 49.1 Normal —
Dawson County, TX 68.5 Serious +19.3
Howard County, TX 65.5 Serious +16.4
Midland County, TX 62.9 Elevated +13.8
Andrews County, TX 50.3 Elevated +1.1
Glasscock County, TX 43.4 Normal -5.8
Borden County, TX 41.2 Normal -7.9
Gaines County, TX 40.7 Normal -8.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Martin County
Hall County, TX 49.1 Normal 0.0
Reynolds County, MO 49.0 Normal -0.1
Shackelford County, TX 48.9 Normal -0.2
Greenwood County, KS 48.8 Normal -0.4
Lander County, NV 49.5 Normal +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Martin 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 Martin 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 Martin County, Texas?

    Martin County has a County Distress Index score of 49.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,631st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 206th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Martin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Martin County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 77.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Martin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Martin County (49.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Dawson County, TX (68.5); Howard County, TX (65.5); Midland County, TX (62.9).

  • 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). Martin County's score of 49.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Martin 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 Martin County?

    Martin County, Texas has a population of approximately 5,216 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.