Menard County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.4 | 1,958 people · 124th most distressed in Texas
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Menard County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.4 — 851st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Texas, it ranks 124th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Menard County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 84.6 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 84.6
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 86
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Consumer Credit Distress 75.3
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 93
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 73
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 45
Economic Vitality 73.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 14
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Housing Cost Burden 24.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 20
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 41
Legal Distress 24.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Menard County
Menard County, TX 61.4 Elevated —
Tom Green County, TX 69.2 Serious +7.7
McCulloch County, TX 68.7 Serious +7.2
Schleicher County, TX 50.8 Elevated -10.7
Concho County, TX 47.6 Normal -13.8
Kimble County, TX 46.4 Normal -15.0
Sutton County, TX 46.1 Normal -15.4
Mason County, TX 40.1 Normal -21.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Menard County
Edwards County, TX 61.5 Elevated +0.1
Webster County, MS 61.6 Elevated +0.1
Elliott County, KY 61.2 Elevated -0.2
Cochran County, TX 61.1 Elevated -0.3
Buena Vista city, VA 61.9 Elevated +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Menard 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 Menard 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Menard County, Texas?

    Menard County has a County Distress Index score of 61.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 851st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 124th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Menard County?

    The primary driver of distress in Menard County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 84.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Menard County compare to neighboring counties?

    Menard County (61.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Tom Green County, TX (69.2); McCulloch County, TX (68.7); Schleicher County, TX (50.8).

  • 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). Menard County's score of 61.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Menard 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 Menard County?

    Menard County, Texas has a population of approximately 1,958 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.