Wood County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.3 | 47,921 people · 138th most distressed in Texas
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Wood County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.3 — 931st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Texas, it ranks 138th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wood County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 72.0 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 72.0
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 57
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Consumer Credit Distress 61.3
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 37
Credit Card Delinquency 65
Uninsured Rate 89
Subprime Credit Population 58
Legal Distress 57.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Housing Cost Burden 57.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 84
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 9
Homeownership Rate 19
Economic Vitality 48.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 14
House Price Change (YoY) 89

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wood County
Wood County, TX 60.3 Elevated —
Camp County, TX 66.9 Serious +6.5
Upshur County, TX 65.0 Serious +4.7
Smith County, TX 64.9 Elevated +4.5
Hopkins County, TX 63.5 Elevated +3.2
Van Zandt County, TX 61.7 Elevated +1.4
Rains County, TX 54.4 Elevated -5.9
Franklin County, TX 49.1 Normal -11.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wood County
Big Horn County, MT 60.3 Elevated 0.0
Austin County, TX 60.3 Elevated 0.0
Dinwiddie County, VA 60.3 Elevated 0.0
Pike County, AR 60.4 Elevated +0.0
Live Oak County, TX 60.4 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wood 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 Wood 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 Wood County, Texas?

    Wood County has a County Distress Index score of 60.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 931st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 138th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wood County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wood County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 72.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Wood County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wood County (60.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Camp County, TX (66.9); Upshur County, TX (65.0); Smith County, TX (64.9).

  • 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). Wood County's score of 60.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Wood 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 Wood County?

    Wood County, Texas has a population of approximately 47,921 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.