Nolan County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.9 | 14,306 people · 67th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Nolan County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.9 — 442nd 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 67th 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. Nolan County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.9 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.9
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 80
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 92
Structural Poverty 70.2
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 78
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 56
Housing Cost Burden 55.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 63
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 82
Economic Vitality 39.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 91
House Price Change (YoY) 12
Legal Distress 27.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Nolan County
Nolan County, TX 68.9 Serious —
Jones County, TX 73.1 Serious +4.2
Taylor County, TX 69.4 Serious +0.5
Mitchell County, TX 62.3 Elevated -6.6
Runnels County, TX 54.5 Elevated -14.4
Scurry County, TX 54.5 Elevated -14.4
Fisher County, TX 47.5 Normal -21.5
Coke County, TX 44.7 Normal -24.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Nolan County
Curry County, NM 68.9 Serious -0.0
Jackson County, OH 69.0 Serious +0.1
Simpson County, MS 68.8 Serious -0.1
Madison County, TX 69.0 Serious +0.1
Essex County, VA 69.0 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Nolan 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 Nolan 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 Nolan County, Texas?

    Nolan County has a County Distress Index score of 68.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 442nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 67th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Nolan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Nolan County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Nolan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Nolan County (68.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jones County, TX (73.1); Taylor County, TX (69.4); Mitchell County, TX (62.3).

  • 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 Serious 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). Nolan County's score of 68.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Nolan 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 Nolan County?

    Nolan County, Texas has a population of approximately 14,306 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.