San Patricio County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.6 | 70,660 people · 38th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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San Patricio County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.6 — 288th 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 38th of 254 counties. Among its 6 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 Patricio County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 84.7 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 84.7
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 78
Uninsured Rate 94
Subprime Credit Population 91
Housing Cost Burden 68.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 81
Economic Vitality 68.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 58
Rent-to-Income Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 62
House Price Change (YoY) 77
Structural Poverty 64.5
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 74
Income vs. State Median 46
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 75
Transfer Income Dependency 47
Legal Distress 25.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. San Patricio County
San Patricio County, TX 72.6 Serious —
Jim Wells County, TX 81.0 Crisis +8.4
Bee County, TX 79.8 Serious +7.3
Nueces County, TX 76.3 Serious +3.7
Refugio County, TX 75.5 Serious +3.0
Aransas County, TX 61.4 Elevated -11.2
Live Oak County, TX 60.4 Elevated -12.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. San Patricio County
Pitt County, NC 72.6 Serious +0.0
Florence County, SC 72.6 Serious -0.0
McKinley County, NM 72.7 Serious +0.1
Richmond city, VA 72.5 Serious -0.1
Calcasieu Parish, LA 72.8 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in San Patricio 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 Patricio 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 Patricio County, Texas?

    San Patricio County has a County Distress Index score of 72.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 288th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Patricio County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Patricio County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 84.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does San Patricio County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Patricio County (72.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jim Wells County, TX (81.0); Bee County, TX (79.8); Nueces County, TX (76.3).

  • 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 Patricio County's score of 72.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    San Patricio 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 Patricio County?

    San Patricio County, Texas has a population of approximately 70,660 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.