Val Verde County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.9 | 47,720 people · 93rd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Val Verde County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.9 — 647th 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 93rd of 254 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Val Verde County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 78.8 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 78.8
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 50
Auto Loan Delinquency 71
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Uninsured Rate 96
Subprime Credit Population 90
Economic Vitality 71.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 96
House Price Change (YoY) 87
Structural Poverty 66.0
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 39
Transfer Income Dependency 48
Housing Cost Burden 50.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 36
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 78
Homeownership Rate 80
Legal Distress 8.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Val Verde County
Val Verde County, TX 64.9 Elevated —
Edwards County, TX 61.5 Elevated -3.4
Kinney County, TX 55.1 Elevated -9.8
Terrell County, TX 52.3 Elevated -12.6
Sutton County, TX 46.1 Normal -18.8
Crockett County, TX 45.2 Normal -19.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Val Verde County
Vernon Parish, LA 64.9 Elevated +0.0
Lincoln County, MS 64.9 Elevated +0.0
Monroe County, TN 64.9 Elevated -0.0
Haralson County, GA 65.0 Elevated +0.1
Bourbon County, KY 64.8 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Val Verde County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Val Verde 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 Val Verde 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 Val Verde County, Texas?

    Val Verde County has a County Distress Index score of 64.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 647th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 93rd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Val Verde County?

    The primary driver of distress in Val Verde County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 78.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Val Verde County compare to neighboring counties?

    Val Verde County (64.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Edwards County, TX (61.5); Kinney County, TX (55.1); Terrell County, TX (52.3).

  • 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 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). Val Verde County's score of 64.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Val Verde County's CDI score?

    Val Verde 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 Val Verde County?

    Val Verde County, Texas has a population of approximately 47,720 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.