Refugio County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 75.5 | 6,666 people · 16th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Refugio County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 75.5 — 165th 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 16th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Refugio County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 88.6 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 88.6
Debt in Collections 93
Medical Debt 81
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 78
Uninsured Rate 92
Subprime Credit Population 93
Structural Poverty 77.8
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 83
Disability Rate 85
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Housing Cost Burden 74.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 29
Economic Vitality 48.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 24
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 86
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Legal Distress 22.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Refugio County
Refugio County, TX 75.5 Serious —
Bee County, TX 79.8 Serious +4.3
Victoria County, TX 73.8 Serious -1.7
San Patricio County, TX 72.6 Serious -3.0
Aransas County, TX 61.4 Elevated -14.2
Calhoun County, TX 56.0 Elevated -19.5
Goliad County, TX 46.9 Normal -28.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Refugio County
Terrell County, GA 75.6 Serious +0.1
San Augustine County, TX 75.4 Serious -0.1
Nevada County, AR 75.4 Serious -0.1
Menominee County, WI 75.4 Serious -0.2
Chicot County, AR 76.1 Serious +0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Refugio 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 Refugio 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 Refugio County, Texas?

    Refugio County has a County Distress Index score of 75.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 165th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Refugio County?

    The primary driver of distress in Refugio County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 88.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Refugio County compare to neighboring counties?

    Refugio County (75.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Bee County, TX (79.8); Victoria County, TX (73.8); San Patricio County, TX (72.6).

  • 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). Refugio County's score of 75.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Refugio 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 Refugio County?

    Refugio County, Texas has a population of approximately 6,666 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.