Motley County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.1 | 1,020 people · 159th most distressed in Texas
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Motley County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.1 — 1199th 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 159th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Motley County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 81.0 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 81.0
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 86
Economic Vitality 69.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 73
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Consumer Credit Distress 66.8
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 73
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 13
Legal Distress 24.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25
Housing Cost Burden 22.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 79
Homeownership Rate 36

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Motley County
Motley County, TX 56.1 Elevated —
Crosby County, TX 74.8 Serious +18.8
Dickens County, TX 68.5 Serious +12.5
Floyd County, TX 65.4 Serious +9.3
Briscoe County, TX 58.4 Elevated +2.3
Cottle County, TX 51.6 Elevated -4.5
Hall County, TX 49.1 Normal -6.9
King County, TX 46.4 Normal -9.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Motley County
Childress County, TX 56.1 Elevated +0.0
Hamilton County, TX 56.2 Elevated +0.1
St. Clair County, MO 56.3 Elevated +0.2
Livingston County, KY 55.8 Elevated -0.2
Cumberland County, KY 56.6 Elevated +0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Motley 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 Motley 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 Motley County, Texas?

    Motley County has a County Distress Index score of 56.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,199th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 159th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Motley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Motley County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 81.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Motley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Motley County (56.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Crosby County, TX (74.8); Dickens County, TX (68.5); Floyd County, TX (65.4).

  • 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). Motley County's score of 56.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Motley 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 Motley County?

    Motley County, Texas has a population of approximately 1,020 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.