Parmer County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.3 | 9,617 people · 213th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Parmer County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.3 — 1695th 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 213th 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. Parmer County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 76.4 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 76.4
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 82
Economic Vitality 45.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 64
House Price Change (YoY) 88
Structural Poverty 27.4
Unemployment Rate 5
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 47
Disability Rate 21
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Housing Cost Burden 16.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 7
Homeownership Rate 76
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Parmer County
Parmer County, TX 48.3 Normal —
Curry County, NM 68.9 Serious +20.6
Deaf Smith County, TX 64.4 Elevated +16.1
Lamb County, TX 59.5 Elevated +11.3
Castro County, TX 53.8 Elevated +5.5
Bailey County, TX 48.3 Normal +0.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Parmer County
Bailey County, TX 48.3 Normal +0.1
Niobrara County, WY 48.1 Normal -0.1
Mills County, TX 48.4 Normal +0.2
McLean County, KY 48.1 Normal -0.2
Elk County, KS 48.0 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Parmer 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 Parmer 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 Parmer County, Texas?

    Parmer County has a County Distress Index score of 48.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,695th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 213th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Parmer County?

    The primary driver of distress in Parmer County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 76.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Parmer County compare to neighboring counties?

    Parmer County (48.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Curry County, NM (68.9); Deaf Smith County, TX (64.4); Lamb County, TX (59.5).

  • 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 Normal 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). Parmer County's score of 48.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Parmer 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 Parmer County?

    Parmer County, Texas has a population of approximately 9,617 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.