San Saba County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.4 | 5,845 people · 198th most distressed in Texas
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San Saba County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.4 — 1550th 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 198th of 254 counties. Among its 7 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 Saba County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 69.8 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 69.8
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 82
Disability Rate 48
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Economic Vitality 66.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 51
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Consumer Credit Distress 62.0
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 89
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 52
Housing Cost Burden 22.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 9
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 8
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 74
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. San Saba County
San Saba County, TX 50.4 Elevated —
Brown County, TX 75.5 Serious +25.1
McCulloch County, TX 68.7 Serious +18.3
Lampasas County, TX 59.8 Elevated +9.4
Mills County, TX 48.4 Normal -2.0
Llano County, TX 44.8 Normal -5.6
Burnet County, TX 43.0 Normal -7.4
Mason County, TX 40.1 Normal -10.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. San Saba County
Luce County, MI 50.4 Elevated -0.0
Woods County, OK 50.4 Elevated -0.0
Prairie County, AR 50.5 Elevated +0.1
Houston County, TN 50.6 Elevated +0.2
Dawes County, NE 50.2 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in San Saba 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 Saba 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 Saba County, Texas?

    San Saba County has a County Distress Index score of 50.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,550th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 198th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in San Saba County?

    The primary driver of distress in San Saba County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 69.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does San Saba County compare to neighboring counties?

    San Saba County (50.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Brown County, TX (75.5); McCulloch County, TX (68.7); Lampasas County, TX (59.8).

  • 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 Saba County's score of 50.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    San Saba 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 Saba County?

    San Saba County, Texas has a population of approximately 5,845 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.