Shelby County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.8 | 24,179 people · 113th most distressed in Texas
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Shelby County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.8 — 781st 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 113th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Shelby County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 93.1 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 93.1
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 96
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 97
Uninsured Rate 96
Subprime Credit Population 88
Structural Poverty 63.7
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 77
Disability Rate 51
Transfer Income Dependency 36
Economic Vitality 35.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 4
Legal Distress 25.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25
Housing Cost Burden 21.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Shelby County
Shelby County, TX 62.8 Elevated —
Nacogdoches County, TX 77.0 Serious +14.2
San Augustine County, TX 75.4 Serious +12.6
De Soto Parish, LA 67.2 Serious +4.4
Rusk County, TX 65.3 Serious +2.5
Sabine Parish, LA 63.9 Elevated +1.1
Panola County, TX 59.8 Elevated -3.0
Sabine County, TX 54.5 Elevated -8.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Shelby County
Holmes County, FL 62.8 Elevated +0.0
Fayette County, WV 62.8 Elevated -0.0
Boyle County, KY 62.7 Elevated -0.1
Pontotoc County, MS 62.7 Elevated -0.1
Scott County, IN 62.7 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Shelby 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 Shelby 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 Shelby County, Texas?

    Shelby County has a County Distress Index score of 62.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 781st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 113th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Shelby County?

    The primary driver of distress in Shelby County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 93.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Shelby County compare to neighboring counties?

    Shelby County (62.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Nacogdoches County, TX (77.0); San Augustine County, TX (75.4); De Soto Parish, LA (67.2).

  • 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). Shelby County's score of 62.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Shelby 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 Shelby County?

    Shelby County, Texas has a population of approximately 24,179 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.