Ward County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.0 | 10,966 people · 119th most distressed in Texas
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Ward County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.0 — 824th 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 119th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ward County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 93.7 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 93.7
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 90
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 95
Housing Cost Burden 47.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 33
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 27
Structural Poverty 29.3
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 55
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 9
Economic Vitality 25.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 33
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Legal Distress 8.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ward County
Ward County, TX 62.0 Elevated —
Ector County, TX 72.3 Serious +10.3
Reeves County, TX 61.4 Elevated -0.6
Pecos County, TX 60.6 Elevated -1.4
Crane County, TX 45.7 Normal -16.3
Loving County, TX 44.8 Normal -17.3
Winkler County, TX 44.0 Normal -18.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ward County
Hot Spring County, AR 62.0 Elevated -0.0
Jackson County, TX 62.0 Elevated -0.0
Perry County, MS 62.0 Elevated -0.0
Hardin County, TN 62.1 Elevated +0.1
Mecklenburg County, VA 61.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ward 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 Ward 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 Ward County, Texas?

    Ward County has a County Distress Index score of 62.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 824th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 119th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ward County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ward County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 93.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Ward County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ward County (62.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Ector County, TX (72.3); Reeves County, TX (61.4); Pecos County, TX (60.6).

  • 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). Ward County's score of 62.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Ward 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 Ward County?

    Ward County, Texas has a population of approximately 10,966 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.