McLennan County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.1 | 268,583 people · 47th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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McLennan County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.1 — 345th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Texas, it ranks 47th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. McLennan County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 92.2 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 92.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 96
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 91
Consumer Credit Distress 78.7
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 68
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 84
Economic Vitality 54.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 35
House Price Change (YoY) 79
Structural Poverty 43.4
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 71
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 62
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 28
Legal Distress 31.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McLennan County
McLennan County, TX 71.1 Serious —
Bell County, TX 72.5 Serious +1.4
Falls County, TX 67.0 Serious -4.1
Coryell County, TX 66.6 Serious -4.5
Limestone County, TX 65.4 Serious -5.7
Hill County, TX 64.7 Elevated -6.4
Bosque County, TX 53.2 Elevated -17.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McLennan County
Jefferson Parish, LA 70.9 Serious -0.2
Marion County, FL 71.9 Serious +0.8
St. Lucie County, FL 70.2 Serious -0.9
Jefferson County, AL 72.2 Serious +1.0
Essex County, NJ 72.2 Serious +1.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in McLennan County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near McLennan County.

NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF WACO, INC.
Waco
254-752-1647 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab
WACO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Waco
254-235-7358 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPost-Purchase

See all counselors in Texas →

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 McLennan 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 McLennan County, Texas?

    McLennan County has a County Distress Index score of 71.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 345th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McLennan County?

    The primary driver of distress in McLennan County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 92.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does McLennan County compare to neighboring counties?

    McLennan County (71.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Bell County, TX (72.5); Falls County, TX (67.0); Coryell County, TX (66.6).

  • 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). McLennan County's score of 71.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    McLennan 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 McLennan County?

    McLennan County, Texas has a population of approximately 268,583 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.