Travis County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.2 | 1,334,961 people · 194th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Austin's reputation runs on a simple pitch. Tech jobs, no income tax, live music, lower cost than the coasts. 1.3 million people live in Travis County and the median household income sits at 1.6 times the Texas figure. Poverty is low at 10.2%. The overall score of 39.8 lands squarely in the Normal zone. And then you look at housing. Housing Cost Burden scores at the 82.6th percentile nationally. Nearly a third of homeowners and 46% of renters spend more than 30% of income on housing. Homeownership sits at just 53%, the lowest in this batch of counties. The wage-to-rent ratio of 4.33 sounds manageable until you realize the paychecks that drive that average are heavily concentrated in tech. Everyone else is paying Austin prices on non-Austin wages. Next door, Caldwell County scores 63.6 (Elevated). Bastrop hits 53.1. The counties absorbing Austin's spillover are taking the housing pressure without any of the income base. Travis itself ranks 233rd of 254 Texas counties. For a county that brands itself as the state's economic engine, 233rd is not where you'd expect the distress math to land.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Travis County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 83.2 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 83.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 75
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 92
Homeownership Rate 97
Consumer Credit Distress 54.6
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 48
Economic Vitality 41.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 65
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 92
Legal Distress 19.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19
Structural Poverty 11.1
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 22
Income vs. State Median 3
Child Poverty Rate 19
Disability Rate 3
Transfer Income Dependency 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Travis County
Travis County, TX 51.2 Elevated —
Caldwell County, TX 70.5 Serious +19.3
Bastrop County, TX 61.1 Elevated +9.9
Hays County, TX 61.1 Elevated +9.9
Williamson County, TX 49.7 Normal -1.5
Burnet County, TX 43.0 Normal -8.2
Blanco County, TX 33.9 Healthy -17.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Travis County
San Diego County, CA 48.8 Normal -2.4
Collin County, TX 48.5 Normal -2.7
Salt Lake County, UT 48.2 Normal -3.0
Sacramento County, CA 55.8 Elevated +4.6
Queens County, NY 55.8 Elevated +4.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Travis County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Travis County.

AUSTIN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Austin
512-472-8788x122 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase
BCL OF TEXAS (BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LENDERS)
Austin
512-912-9884 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
FRAMEWORKS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Austin
512-385-1500 Website
Foreclosure PreventionPost-PurchasePre-Lease/Pre-PurchasePre-Purchase

See all counselors in Texas →

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 Travis 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 Travis County, Texas?

    Travis County has a County Distress Index score of 51.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,508th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 194th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Travis County?

    The primary driver of distress in Travis County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 83.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Travis County compare to neighboring counties?

    Travis County (51.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Caldwell County, TX (70.5); Bastrop County, TX (61.1); Hays County, TX (61.1).

  • 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). Travis County's score of 51.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Travis 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 Travis County?

    Travis County, Texas has a population of approximately 1,334,961 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.