Rains County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.4 | 12,986 people · 171st most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Rains County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.4 — 1318th 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 171st of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Rains County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 73.3 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 73.3
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 92
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Uninsured Rate 87
Subprime Credit Population 63
Structural Poverty 60.1
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 64
Disability Rate 84
Transfer Income Dependency 80
Economic Vitality 50.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 63
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 40
House Price Change (YoY) 94
Housing Cost Burden 24.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 25
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 8
Legal Distress 19.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Rains County
Rains County, TX 54.4 Elevated —
Hunt County, TX 73.6 Serious +19.2
Hopkins County, TX 63.5 Elevated +9.1
Van Zandt County, TX 61.7 Elevated +7.3
Wood County, TX 60.3 Elevated +5.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Rains County
Fulton County, IN 54.4 Elevated 0.0
Banks County, GA 54.4 Elevated +0.0
Osceola County, MI 54.4 Elevated +0.0
La Paz County, AZ 54.5 Elevated +0.0
Monroe County, KY 54.5 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rains 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 Rains 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Rains County, Texas?

    Rains County has a County Distress Index score of 54.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,318th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 171st in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rains County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rains County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 73.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Rains County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rains County (54.4) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Hunt County, TX (73.6); Hopkins County, TX (63.5); Van Zandt County, TX (61.7).

  • 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). Rains County's score of 54.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Rains 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 Rains County?

    Rains County, Texas has a population of approximately 12,986 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.