Polk County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.6 | 54,186 people · 51st most distressed in Texas
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Polk County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.6 — 366th 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 51st of 254 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Polk County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 82.3 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 82.3
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Consumer Credit Distress 81.5
Debt in Collections 84
Medical Debt 78
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 87
Economic Vitality 61.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 33
House Price Change (YoY) 90
Housing Cost Burden 51.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 33
Legal Distress 47.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 48

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Polk County
Polk County, TX 70.6 Serious —
Liberty County, TX 76.9 Serious +6.4
Angelina County, TX 75.1 Serious +4.5
Trinity County, TX 74.0 Serious +3.4
Tyler County, TX 69.3 Serious -1.3
San Jacinto County, TX 64.5 Elevated -6.0
Hardin County, TX 60.3 Elevated -10.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Polk County
Pike County, KY 70.6 Serious +0.0
Gaston County, NC 70.7 Serious +0.2
Jones County, MS 70.8 Serious +0.2
Pottawatomie County, OK 70.3 Serious -0.3
Vigo County, IN 70.3 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Polk 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 Polk 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 Polk County, Texas?

    Polk County has a County Distress Index score of 70.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 366th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 51st in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Polk County?

    The primary driver of distress in Polk County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 82.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Polk County compare to neighboring counties?

    Polk County (70.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Liberty County, TX (76.9); Angelina County, TX (75.1); Trinity County, TX (74.0).

  • 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). Polk County's score of 70.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Polk 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 Polk County?

    Polk County, Texas has a population of approximately 54,186 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.