Winkler County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.0 | 7,414 people · 237th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Winkler County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.0 — 1951st 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 237th of 254 counties. It scores lower 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. Winkler County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 76.4 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 76.4
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 20
Uninsured Rate 94
Subprime Credit Population 86
Legal Distress 24.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25
Structural Poverty 24.4
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 49
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 7
Economic Vitality 13.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 14
Business Formation Rate 7
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Housing Cost Burden 6.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 8
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Winkler County
Winkler County, TX 44.0 Normal —
Ector County, TX 72.3 Serious +28.2
Lea County, NM 63.6 Elevated +19.6
Ward County, TX 62.0 Elevated +18.0
Andrews County, TX 50.3 Elevated +6.2
Loving County, TX 44.8 Normal +0.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Winkler County
Lewis County, MO 44.0 Normal -0.1
Bennett County, SD 44.2 Normal +0.2
Searcy County, AR 43.8 Normal -0.2
Grant County, OK 44.4 Normal +0.3
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK 44.5 Normal +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Winkler 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 Winkler 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Winkler County, Texas?

    Winkler County has a County Distress Index score of 44.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,951st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 237th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Winkler County?

    The primary driver of distress in Winkler County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 76.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Winkler County compare to neighboring counties?

    Winkler County (44.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Ector County, TX (72.3); Lea County, NM (63.6); Ward County, TX (62.0).

  • 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). Winkler County's score of 44.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Winkler 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 Winkler County?

    Winkler County, Texas has a population of approximately 7,414 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.