San Augustine County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 75.4 | 7,833 people · 18th most distressed in Texas
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San Augustine County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 75.4 — 172nd 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 18th of 254 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. San Augustine County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 89.5 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 89.5
Unemployment Rate 90
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 85
Child Poverty Rate 93
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 93
Consumer Credit Distress 78.1
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 79
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 85
Housing Cost Burden 74.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 48
Legal Distress 60.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 61
Economic Vitality 54.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 38
Rent-to-Income Ratio 73
Business Formation Rate 61
House Price Change (YoY) 70

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. San Augustine County
San Augustine County, TX 75.4 Serious —
Nacogdoches County, TX 77.0 Serious +1.6
Angelina County, TX 75.1 Serious -0.4
Jasper County, TX 63.5 Elevated -11.9
Shelby County, TX 62.8 Elevated -12.6
Sabine County, TX 54.5 Elevated -21.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. San Augustine County
Nevada County, AR 75.4 Serious -0.0
Menominee County, WI 75.4 Serious -0.1
Refugio County, TX 75.5 Serious +0.1
Terrell County, GA 75.6 Serious +0.2
Crosby County, TX 74.8 Serious -0.6

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for San Augustine County as a CSV file.

Find Help in San Augustine 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 San Augustine 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 San Augustine County, Texas?

    San Augustine County has a County Distress Index score of 75.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 172nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 18th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Augustine County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Augustine County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 89.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does San Augustine County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Augustine County (75.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Nacogdoches County, TX (77.0); Angelina County, TX (75.1); Jasper County, TX (63.5).

  • 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). San Augustine County's score of 75.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power San Augustine County's CDI score?

    San Augustine 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 San Augustine County?

    San Augustine County, Texas has a population of approximately 7,833 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.