Mitchell County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.3 | 9,075 people · 118th most distressed in Texas
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Mitchell County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.3 — 813th 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 118th 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. Mitchell County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 77.3 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 77.3
Debt in Collections 93
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 7
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 92
Structural Poverty 66.8
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 78
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 64
Economic Vitality 54.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 80
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Housing Cost Burden 50.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 52
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 8
Homeownership Rate 21
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mitchell County
Mitchell County, TX 62.3 Elevated —
Nolan County, TX 68.9 Serious +6.6
Howard County, TX 65.5 Serious +3.2
Scurry County, TX 54.5 Elevated -7.9
Sterling County, TX 52.0 Elevated -10.4
Fisher County, TX 47.5 Normal -14.9
Coke County, TX 44.7 Normal -17.7
Borden County, TX 41.2 Normal -21.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Mitchell County
Johnson County, GA 62.4 Elevated +0.0
Covington city, VA 62.4 Elevated +0.1
Hudspeth County, TX 62.4 Elevated +0.1
Greer County, OK 62.5 Elevated +0.2
Lafayette County, FL 62.6 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mitchell 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 Mitchell 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 Mitchell County, Texas?

    Mitchell County has a County Distress Index score of 62.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 813th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 118th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mitchell County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mitchell County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 77.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Mitchell County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mitchell County (62.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Nolan County, TX (68.9); Howard County, TX (65.5); Scurry County, TX (54.5).

  • 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). Mitchell County's score of 62.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Mitchell 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 Mitchell County?

    Mitchell County, Texas has a population of approximately 9,075 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.