Panola County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.8 | 22,838 people · 141st most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Panola County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.8 — 972nd 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 141st of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Panola County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 83.5 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 83.5
Debt in Collections 88
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 73
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 94
Subprime Credit Population 86
Legal Distress 56.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 56
Structural Poverty 53.6
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 50
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 55
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 45
Housing Cost Burden 28.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 19
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 37
Homeownership Rate 22
Economic Vitality 23.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 9
Rent-to-Income Ratio 26
Business Formation Rate 37
House Price Change (YoY) 64

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Panola County
Panola County, TX 59.8 Elevated —
Caddo Parish, LA 82.7 Crisis +22.9
De Soto Parish, LA 67.2 Serious +7.4
Harrison County, TX 65.9 Serious +6.1
Rusk County, TX 65.3 Serious +5.5
Shelby County, TX 62.8 Elevated +3.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Panola County
Sharp County, AR 59.8 Elevated +0.0
Eastland County, TX 59.7 Elevated -0.0
Lampasas County, TX 59.8 Elevated +0.0
Wythe County, VA 59.8 Elevated +0.0
Fulton County, AR 59.6 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Panola 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 Panola 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 Panola County, Texas?

    Panola County has a County Distress Index score of 59.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 972nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 141st in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Panola County?

    The primary driver of distress in Panola County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 83.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Panola County compare to neighboring counties?

    Panola County (59.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Caddo Parish, LA (82.7); De Soto Parish, LA (67.2); Harrison County, TX (65.9).

  • 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). Panola County's score of 59.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Panola 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 Panola County?

    Panola County, Texas has a population of approximately 22,838 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.