Real County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.9 | 2,854 people · 131st most distressed in Texas
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Real County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.9 — 896th 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 131st of 254 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Real County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 87.2 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 87.2
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 66
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 69.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Consumer Credit Distress 64.8
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 92
Subprime Credit Population 38
Housing Cost Burden 51.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 20
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 44
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Real County
Real County, TX 60.9 Elevated —
Uvalde County, TX 69.3 Serious +8.5
Edwards County, TX 61.5 Elevated +0.7
Kerr County, TX 49.7 Normal -11.2
Bandera County, TX 46.3 Normal -14.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Real County
Glascock County, GA 60.6 Elevated -0.2
Cochran County, TX 61.1 Elevated +0.3
Elliott County, KY 61.2 Elevated +0.3
Menard County, TX 61.4 Elevated +0.5
Mineral County, NV 60.3 Elevated -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Real 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 Real 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 Real County, Texas?

    Real County has a County Distress Index score of 60.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 896th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 131st in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Real County?

    The primary driver of distress in Real County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 87.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Real County compare to neighboring counties?

    Real County (60.9) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Uvalde County, TX (69.3); Edwards County, TX (61.5); Kerr County, TX (49.7).

  • 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). Real County's score of 60.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Real 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 Real County?

    Real County, Texas has a population of approximately 2,854 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.