San Jacinto County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.5 | 28,936 people · 97th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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San Jacinto County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.5 — 671st 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 97th of 254 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

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

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 89.5
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 85
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 90
Uninsured Rate 96
Subprime Credit Population 90
Structural Poverty 64.5
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 71
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 61
Economic Vitality 61.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 40
House Price Change (YoY) 40
Legal Distress 29.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 29
Housing Cost Burden 24.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 28
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 19
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 63
Homeownership Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. San Jacinto County
San Jacinto County, TX 64.5 Elevated —
Liberty County, TX 76.9 Serious +12.4
Trinity County, TX 74.0 Serious +9.5
Walker County, TX 72.1 Serious +7.5
Polk County, TX 70.6 Serious +6.0
Montgomery County, TX 56.3 Elevated -8.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. San Jacinto County
Las Animas County, CO 64.6 Elevated +0.0
Wapello County, IA 64.5 Elevated -0.0
Claiborne County, TN 64.5 Elevated -0.0
Montgomery County, NY 64.6 Elevated +0.1
Jefferson County, FL 64.4 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in San Jacinto 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 Jacinto 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 Jacinto County, Texas?

    San Jacinto County has a County Distress Index score of 64.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 671st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 97th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Jacinto County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Jacinto County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 89.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does San Jacinto County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Jacinto County (64.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Liberty County, TX (76.9); Trinity County, TX (74.0); Walker County, TX (72.1).

  • 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). San Jacinto County's score of 64.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    San Jacinto 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 Jacinto County?

    San Jacinto County, Texas has a population of approximately 28,936 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.