Williamson County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.7 | 697,191 people · 202nd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Williamson County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.7 — 1594th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Texas, it ranks 202nd of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Williamson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.0 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 65
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 80
Economic Vitality 52.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 91
Consumer Credit Distress 51.1
Debt in Collections 46
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 49
Legal Distress 35.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Structural Poverty 6.3
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 3
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Williamson County
Williamson County, TX 49.7 Normal —
Bell County, TX 72.5 Serious +22.8
Milam County, TX 64.4 Elevated +14.7
Bastrop County, TX 61.1 Elevated +11.5
Lee County, TX 54.9 Elevated +5.2
Travis County, TX 51.2 Elevated +1.5
Burnet County, TX 43.0 Normal -6.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Williamson County
Denver County, CO 49.7 Normal 0.0
Collier County, FL 49.8 Normal +0.1
Burlington County, NJ 49.4 Normal -0.3
Richmond County, NY 50.1 Elevated +0.5
Monroe County, NY 50.2 Elevated +0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Williamson 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 Williamson 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 Williamson County, Texas?

    Williamson County has a County Distress Index score of 49.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,594th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 202nd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Williamson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Williamson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Williamson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Williamson County (49.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Bell County, TX (72.5); Milam County, TX (64.4); Bastrop County, TX (61.1).

  • 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 Normal 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). Williamson County's score of 49.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Williamson 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 Williamson County?

    Williamson County, Texas has a population of approximately 697,191 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.