Zavala County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.7 | 9,312 people · 58th most distressed in Texas
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Zavala County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.7 — 401st 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 58th of 254 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Zavala County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 90.4 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 90.4
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 82
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 89.6
Unemployment Rate 93
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 64
Transfer Income Dependency 93
Economic Vitality 58.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 77
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Housing Cost Burden 39.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 36
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 66
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Zavala County
Zavala County, TX 69.7 Serious —
Maverick County, TX 75.9 Serious +6.2
Dimmit County, TX 72.8 Serious +3.1
Frio County, TX 71.1 Serious +1.4
Uvalde County, TX 69.3 Serious -0.4
Medina County, TX 59.4 Elevated -10.3
Kinney County, TX 55.1 Elevated -14.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Zavala County
Tillman County, OK 69.8 Serious +0.0
Clay County, GA 69.7 Serious -0.1
Hardeman County, TX 69.9 Serious +0.2
Brooks County, TX 69.9 Serious +0.2
Treutlen County, GA 69.5 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Zavala 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 Zavala 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 Zavala County, Texas?

    Zavala County has a County Distress Index score of 69.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 401st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Zavala County?

    The primary driver of distress in Zavala County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 90.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Zavala County compare to neighboring counties?

    Zavala County (69.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Maverick County, TX (75.9); Dimmit County, TX (72.8); Frio County, TX (71.1).

  • 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 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). Zavala County's score of 69.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Zavala 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 Zavala County?

    Zavala County, Texas has a population of approximately 9,312 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.