Starr County, Texas

County Distress Index: Crisis · 80.3 | 65,934 people · 2nd most distressed in Texas
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Starr County, TX ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 80.3 — 58th 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 2nd of 254 counties. It scores higher than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Starr County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 93.5 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 93.5
Debt in Collections 99
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Uninsured Rate 99
Subprime Credit Population 99
Structural Poverty 90.7
Unemployment Rate 99
Poverty Rate 99
Income vs. State Median 99
Child Poverty Rate 97
Disability Rate 49
Transfer Income Dependency 97
Economic Vitality 78.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 96
House Price Change (YoY) 1
Housing Cost Burden 72.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 69
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 87
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 64
Legal Distress 1.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Starr County
Starr County, TX 80.3 Crisis —
Hidalgo County, TX 79.2 Serious -1.1
Jim Hogg County, TX 73.6 Serious -6.7
Zapata County, TX 73.3 Serious -7.0
Brooks County, TX 69.9 Serious -10.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Starr County
Lowndes County, GA 79.7 Serious -0.6
Robeson County, NC 79.6 Serious -0.7
Liberty County, GA 79.0 Serious -1.3
Cumberland County, NJ 78.8 Serious -1.5
Portsmouth city, VA 81.9 Crisis +1.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Starr 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 Starr 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Starr County, Texas?

    Starr County has a County Distress Index score of 80.3 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 58th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Starr County?

    The primary driver of distress in Starr County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 93.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Starr County compare to neighboring counties?

    Starr County (80.3) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Hidalgo County, TX (79.2); Jim Hogg County, TX (73.6); Zapata County, TX (73.3).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Starr County's score of 80.3 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Starr 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 Starr County?

    Starr County, Texas has a population of approximately 65,934 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.