Potter County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.7 | 114,647 people · 21st most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Potter County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.7 — 197th 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 21st of 254 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Potter County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 93.0 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 93.0
Debt in Collections 97
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Uninsured Rate 97
Subprime Credit Population 89
Housing Cost Burden 74.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 45
Homeownership Rate 96
Structural Poverty 56.0
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 77
Income vs. State Median 85
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 38
Transfer Income Dependency 32
Economic Vitality 48.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 45
House Price Change (YoY) 77
Legal Distress 26.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Potter County
Potter County, TX 74.7 Serious —
Deaf Smith County, TX 64.4 Elevated -10.3
Moore County, TX 55.6 Elevated -19.1
Randall County, TX 54.2 Elevated -20.5
Oldham County, TX 49.6 Normal -25.1
Carson County, TX 45.1 Normal -29.6
Armstrong County, TX 40.9 Normal -33.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Potter County
Oktibbeha County, MS 74.6 Serious -0.1
Forrest County, MS 74.6 Serious -0.1
Calhoun County, AL 74.5 Serious -0.2
Bulloch County, GA 74.4 Serious -0.3
Angelina County, TX 75.1 Serious +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Potter 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 Potter 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 Potter County, Texas?

    Potter County has a County Distress Index score of 74.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 197th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Potter County?

    The primary driver of distress in Potter County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 93.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Potter County compare to neighboring counties?

    Potter County (74.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Deaf Smith County, TX (64.4); Moore County, TX (55.6); Randall County, TX (54.2).

  • 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). Potter County's score of 74.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Potter 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 Potter County?

    Potter County, Texas has a population of approximately 114,647 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.