Nueces County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.3 | 352,289 people · 13th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Nueces County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.3 — 148th 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 13th of 254 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Nueces County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 87.8 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 87.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 90
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 93
Consumer Credit Distress 87.7
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 81
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Uninsured Rate 93
Subprime Credit Population 90
Economic Vitality 70.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 85
Structural Poverty 50.8
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 31
Transfer Income Dependency 36
Legal Distress 22.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Nueces County
Nueces County, TX 76.3 Serious —
Jim Wells County, TX 81.0 Crisis +4.7
Kleberg County, TX 78.6 Serious +2.2
San Patricio County, TX 72.6 Serious -3.7
Aransas County, TX 61.4 Elevated -15.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Nueces County
Mobile County, AL 76.2 Serious -0.1
DeKalb County, GA 75.7 Serious -0.6
Richland County, SC 75.5 Serious -0.8
El Paso County, TX 78.0 Serious +1.7
Orleans Parish, LA 78.2 Serious +1.9

Download Data

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

Find Help in Nueces 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 Nueces 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 Nueces County, Texas?

    Nueces County has a County Distress Index score of 76.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 148th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Nueces County?

    The primary driver of distress in Nueces County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 87.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Nueces County compare to neighboring counties?

    Nueces County (76.3) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Jim Wells County, TX (81.0); Kleberg County, TX (78.6); San Patricio County, TX (72.6).

  • 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 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). Nueces County's score of 76.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Nueces 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 Nueces County?

    Nueces County, Texas has a population of approximately 352,289 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.