Moore County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.6 | 21,190 people · 162nd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Moore County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.6 — 1229th 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 162nd of 254 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Moore County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 85.4 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 85.4
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Uninsured Rate 96
Subprime Credit Population 91
Housing Cost Burden 34.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 13
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 90
Economic Vitality 34.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Rent-to-Income Ratio 33
Business Formation Rate 88
House Price Change (YoY) 11
Structural Poverty 27.9
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 49
Income vs. State Median 36
Child Poverty Rate 64
Disability Rate 7
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Legal Distress 5.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Moore County
Moore County, TX 55.6 Elevated —
Potter County, TX 74.7 Serious +19.1
Hutchinson County, TX 57.6 Elevated +2.0
Hansford County, TX 52.3 Elevated -3.3
Dallam County, TX 51.3 Elevated -4.3
Oldham County, TX 49.6 Normal -6.0
Carson County, TX 45.1 Normal -10.5
Sherman County, TX 39.0 Normal -16.6
Hartley County, TX 35.1 Normal -20.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Moore County
McClain County, OK 55.6 Elevated 0.0
Habersham County, GA 55.6 Elevated -0.0
Labette County, KS 55.7 Elevated +0.0
Harrison County, OH 55.6 Elevated -0.0
Pulaski County, VA 55.6 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Moore 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 Moore 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Moore County has a County Distress Index score of 55.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,229th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 162nd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Moore County?

    The primary driver of distress in Moore County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 85.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Moore County compare to neighboring counties?

    Moore County (55.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Potter County, TX (74.7); Hutchinson County, TX (57.6); Hansford County, TX (52.3).

  • 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). Moore County's score of 55.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Moore 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 Moore County?

    Moore County, Texas has a population of approximately 21,190 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.