Upshur County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.0 | 43,281 people · 92nd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Upshur County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.0 — 640th 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 92nd 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. Upshur County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.6 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.6
Debt in Collections 89
Medical Debt 96
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 90
Uninsured Rate 82
Subprime Credit Population 80
Economic Vitality 65.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 45
House Price Change (YoY) 29
Structural Poverty 58.8
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 53
Income vs. State Median 45
Child Poverty Rate 54
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 62
Housing Cost Burden 34.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 22
Legal Distress 28.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Upshur County
Upshur County, TX 65.0 Serious —
Gregg County, TX 74.0 Serious +9.0
Morris County, TX 70.2 Serious +5.1
Marion County, TX 68.7 Serious +3.7
Camp County, TX 66.9 Serious +1.8
Harrison County, TX 65.9 Serious +0.8
Smith County, TX 64.9 Elevated -0.2
Wood County, TX 60.3 Elevated -4.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Upshur County
Rockcastle County, KY 65.1 Serious +0.0
Haralson County, GA 65.0 Elevated -0.1
Washington County, FL 65.2 Serious +0.1
Fredericksburg city, VA 65.2 Serious +0.1
Vernon Parish, LA 64.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Upshur 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 Upshur 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 Upshur County, Texas?

    Upshur County has a County Distress Index score of 65.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 640th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 92nd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Upshur County?

    The primary driver of distress in Upshur County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Upshur County compare to neighboring counties?

    Upshur County (65.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Gregg County, TX (74.0); Morris County, TX (70.2); Marion County, TX (68.7).

  • 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). Upshur County's score of 65.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Upshur 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 Upshur County?

    Upshur County, Texas has a population of approximately 43,281 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.