Van Zandt County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.7 | 64,000 people · 122nd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Van Zandt County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.7 — 837th 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 122nd of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Van Zandt County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 79.2 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 79.3
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 73
Economic Vitality 57.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 40
Business Formation Rate 39
House Price Change (YoY) 46
Housing Cost Burden 46.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 65
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 15
Structural Poverty 42.4
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 44
Disability Rate 42
Transfer Income Dependency 52
Legal Distress 36.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 36

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Van Zandt County
Van Zandt County, TX 61.7 Elevated —
Kaufman County, TX 73.8 Serious +12.1
Hunt County, TX 73.6 Serious +11.9
Henderson County, TX 73.6 Serious +11.9
Smith County, TX 64.9 Elevated +3.2
Wood County, TX 60.3 Elevated -1.4
Rains County, TX 54.4 Elevated -7.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Van Zandt County
Sebastian County, AR 61.7 Elevated -0.0
Vermilion Parish, LA 61.7 Elevated -0.0
Carson City, NV 61.7 Elevated -0.1
McMinn County, TN 61.4 Elevated -0.3
Pickens County, SC 61.4 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Van Zandt County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt County, Texas?

    Van Zandt County has a County Distress Index score of 61.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 837th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 122nd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Van Zandt County?

    The primary driver of distress in Van Zandt County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 79.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Van Zandt County compare to neighboring counties?

    Van Zandt County (61.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Kaufman County, TX (73.8); Hunt County, TX (73.6); Henderson County, TX (73.6).

  • 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). Van Zandt County's score of 61.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Van Zandt County's CDI score?

    Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt County?

    Van Zandt County, Texas has a population of approximately 64,000 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.