Terry County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.8 | 11,547 people · 11th most distressed in Texas
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Terry County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.8 — 134th 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 11th of 254 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Terry County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 93.0 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 93.0
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 94
Structural Poverty 74.2
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 90
Disability Rate 39
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Housing Cost Burden 70.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 10
Homeownership Rate 85
Economic Vitality 55.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 35
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Legal Distress 24.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Terry County
Terry County, TX 76.8 Serious —
Lubbock County, TX 74.3 Serious -2.5
Dawson County, TX 68.5 Serious -8.3
Hockley County, TX 64.3 Elevated -12.4
Cochran County, TX 61.1 Elevated -15.6
Lynn County, TX 51.1 Elevated -25.6
Yoakum County, TX 42.8 Normal -34.0
Gaines County, TX 40.7 Normal -36.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Terry County
Sumter County, AL 76.7 Serious -0.0
Worth County, GA 76.7 Serious -0.0
Martinsville city, VA 76.7 Serious -0.1
Mississippi County, AR 76.8 Serious +0.1
Adams County, MS 76.9 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Terry 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 Terry 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 Terry County, Texas?

    Terry County has a County Distress Index score of 76.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 134th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Terry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Terry County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 93.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Terry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Terry County (76.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Lubbock County, TX (74.3); Dawson County, TX (68.5); Hockley County, TX (64.3).

  • 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). Terry County's score of 76.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Terry 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 Terry County?

    Terry County, Texas has a population of approximately 11,547 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.