Montgomery County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.3 | 711,354 people · 156th most distressed in Texas
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Montgomery County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.3 — 1181st 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 156th of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Montgomery County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 69.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 69.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 67
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 83
Homeownership Rate 63
Consumer Credit Distress 64.5
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 62
Auto Loan Delinquency 61
Credit Card Delinquency 57
Uninsured Rate 87
Subprime Credit Population 68
Economic Vitality 49.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 65
Rent-to-Income Ratio 43
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 68
Legal Distress 45.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 46
Structural Poverty 16.0
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 27
Disability Rate 6
Transfer Income Dependency 3

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Montgomery County, TX 56.3 Elevated —
Liberty County, TX 76.9 Serious +20.6
Walker County, TX 72.1 Serious +15.8
Harris County, TX 70.6 Serious +14.3
San Jacinto County, TX 64.5 Elevated +8.2
Waller County, TX 60.8 Elevated +4.5
Grimes County, TX 60.7 Elevated +4.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
York County, SC 56.5 Elevated +0.2
Chesapeake city, VA 56.5 Elevated +0.2
Lexington County, SC 55.9 Elevated -0.4
Bristol County, MA 55.8 Elevated -0.5
Fayette County, KY 55.8 Elevated -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County, Texas?

    Montgomery County has a County Distress Index score of 56.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,181st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 156th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montgomery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montgomery County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 69.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Montgomery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montgomery County (56.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Liberty County, TX (76.9); Walker County, TX (72.1); Harris County, TX (70.6).

  • 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 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). Montgomery County's score of 56.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Montgomery 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 Montgomery County?

    Montgomery County, Texas has a population of approximately 711,354 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.