Mills County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.4 | 4,548 people · 210th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Mills County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.4 — 1685th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Texas, it ranks 210th of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Mills County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 66.1 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 66.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Structural Poverty 64.4
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 67
Child Poverty Rate 71
Disability Rate 51
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Consumer Credit Distress 63.1
Debt in Collections 60
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 79
Subprime Credit Population 63
Legal Distress 17.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18
Housing Cost Burden 10.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mills County
Mills County, TX 48.4 Normal —
Brown County, TX 75.5 Serious +27.0
Lampasas County, TX 59.8 Elevated +11.4
Hamilton County, TX 56.2 Elevated +7.8
San Saba County, TX 50.4 Elevated +2.0
Comanche County, TX 49.8 Normal +1.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Mills County
Union County, NM 48.5 Normal +0.1
Bailey County, TX 48.3 Normal -0.1
Modoc County, CA 48.6 Normal +0.1
Gilmer County, WV 48.6 Normal +0.1
Parmer County, TX 48.3 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mills 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 Mills 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 Mills County, Texas?

    Mills County has a County Distress Index score of 48.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,685th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 210th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mills County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mills County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 66.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Mills County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mills County (48.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Brown County, TX (75.5); Lampasas County, TX (59.8); Hamilton County, TX (56.2).

  • 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). Mills County's score of 48.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Mills 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 Mills County?

    Mills County, Texas has a population of approximately 4,548 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.