Wise County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.0 | 78,097 people · 176th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Wise County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.0 — 1338th 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 176th of 254 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wise County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 71.2 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 71.2
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 85
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 88
Subprime Credit Population 72
Legal Distress 69.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Housing Cost Burden 41.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 57
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 9
Economic Vitality 32.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 6
Business Formation Rate 17
House Price Change (YoY) 83
Structural Poverty 20.7
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 20
Disability Rate 46
Transfer Income Dependency 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wise County
Wise County, TX 54.0 Elevated —
Tarrant County, TX 72.6 Serious +18.6
Montague County, TX 67.9 Serious +13.9
Cooke County, TX 60.6 Elevated +6.6
Jack County, TX 59.7 Elevated +5.7
Denton County, TX 56.5 Elevated +2.5
Parker County, TX 55.0 Elevated +1.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wise County
Logan County, OK 54.0 Elevated +0.1
Mendocino County, CA 53.9 Elevated -0.1
Fulton County, NY 53.9 Elevated -0.1
Georgetown County, SC 53.8 Elevated -0.1
Wilkes County, NC 54.2 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wise 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 Wise 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 Wise County, Texas?

    Wise County has a County Distress Index score of 54.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,338th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 176th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wise County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wise County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 71.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Wise County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wise County (54.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Tarrant County, TX (72.6); Montague County, TX (67.9); Cooke 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). Wise County's score of 54.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Wise 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 Wise County?

    Wise County, Texas has a population of approximately 78,097 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.