Willacy County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.2 | 20,037 people · 14th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Willacy County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.2 — 151st 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 14th of 254 counties. Among its 3 neighboring counties, 2 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Willacy County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 96.9 — worse than roughly 97% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 96.9
Debt in Collections 99
Medical Debt 90
Auto Loan Delinquency 97
Credit Card Delinquency 97
Uninsured Rate 99
Subprime Credit Population 99
Structural Poverty 86.7
Unemployment Rate 92
Poverty Rate 97
Income vs. State Median 99
Child Poverty Rate 96
Disability Rate 30
Transfer Income Dependency 97
Economic Vitality 75.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 90
Business Formation Rate 99
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Housing Cost Burden 45.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 53
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 7
Homeownership Rate 60
Legal Distress 17.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Willacy County
Willacy County, TX 76.2 Serious —
Hidalgo County, TX 79.2 Serious +3.0
Cameron County, TX 78.3 Serious +2.1
Kenedy County, TX 55.5 Elevated -20.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Willacy County
Meriwether County, GA 76.1 Serious -0.1
Jackson County, FL 76.3 Serious +0.1
Dillon County, SC 76.0 Serious -0.2
Danville city, VA 76.4 Serious +0.2
Ripley County, MO 76.4 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Willacy 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 Willacy 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 Willacy County, Texas?

    Willacy County has a County Distress Index score of 76.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 151st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Willacy County?

    The primary driver of distress in Willacy County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 96.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Willacy County compare to neighboring counties?

    Willacy County (76.2) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Hidalgo County, TX (79.2); Cameron County, TX (78.3); Kenedy County, TX (55.5).

  • 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). Willacy County's score of 76.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Willacy 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 Willacy County?

    Willacy County, Texas has a population of approximately 20,037 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.