Texas County Distress Index
Financial distress scores for all 254 counties in Texas, scored 0–100 across five domains. A county's score is the share of U.S. counties it is more distressed than; the average Texas county scores 62.9. 109 counties score high, very high, or extreme.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Urban Institute, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts | Scores as of Aug 2026
Texas Snapshot
254 Counties Scored
62.9 Mean Score
66.4 Median Score
97 Starr County Most Distressed
10 Armstrong County Least Distressed
18 extreme county distress47 very high county distress44 high county distress40 moderate-high county distress30 moderate county distress33 moderate-low county distress21 low-moderate county distress15 low county distress6 very low county distress
Score Label Distribution Texas County Map
Starr County is the most distressed of Texas's 254 counties
County Distress Index score for Texas's 254 counties, from green (least distressed, 0–29) to red (most distressed, 80–100). Data from 2024 to Aug 2026.
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The county map could not be loaded. Every county is in the lists on this page.
Least distressed 0–2930–4950–6970–7980–100 Most distressed
County Distress Index score · data from 2024 to Aug 2026
Point to or tap a county for its rank and score. Click it, or tap it twice, to open its page.
Most & Least Distressed
Most Distressed
Least Distressed
Score Distribution
How Texas's 254 county scores are distributed across the 0–100 scale.
All Texas Counties
254 counties ranked by distress score. Click column headers to sort.
| State Rank | Nat'l Rank | County | Score | Score Label | Primary Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 88 | Starr County | 97 | extreme county distress | Labor |
| 2 | — | Dimmit County | 95 | extreme county distress | Labor |
| 3 | — | Liberty County | 95 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 4 | — | Jim Wells County | 95 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 5 | — | Kenedy County | 94 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 6 | — | Zavala County | 94 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 7 | — | Trinity County | 94 | extreme county distress | Labor |
| 8 | — | Jefferson County | 94 | extreme county distress | Labor |
| 9 | — | Marion County | 92 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 10 | — | San Augustine County | 92 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 11 | — | Zapata County | 92 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 12 | — | Duval County | 92 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 13 | — | Hidalgo County | 91 | extreme county distress | Labor |
| 14 | — | Tyler County | 91 | extreme county distress | Labor |
| 15 | — | Nacogdoches County | 90 | extreme county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 16 | — | Cameron County | 90 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 17 | — | Brooks County | 90 | extreme county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 18 | — | Henderson County | 90 | extreme county distress | Delinquency |
| 19 | — | Polk County | 89 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 20 | — | Kleberg County | 89 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 21 | — | El Paso County | 89 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 22 | — | Maverick County | 89 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 23 | — | Willacy County | 88 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 24 | — | Bee County | 88 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 25 | — | Crosby County | 87 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 26 | — | Webb County | 87 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 27 | — | Morris County | 87 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 28 | — | Jim Hogg County | 87 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 29 | — | Hale County | 87 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 30 | — | Red River County | 86 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 31 | — | Anderson County | 86 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 32 | — | Uvalde County | 86 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 33 | — | Gregg County | 86 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 34 | — | Brown County | 86 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 35 | — | Cass County | 86 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 36 | — | Houston County | 86 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 37 | — | Jones County | 86 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 38 | — | Potter County | 86 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 39 | — | Matagorda County | 85 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 40 | — | Frio County | 84 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 41 | — | San Jacinto County | 84 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 42 | — | Refugio County | 84 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 43 | — | Terry County | 84 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 44 | — | Nolan County | 84 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 45 | — | Nueces County | 84 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 46 | — | Angelina County | 83 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 47 | — | Hardeman County | 83 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 48 | — | Shelby County | 83 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 49 | — | Harris County | 83 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 50 | — | Dickens County | 83 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 51 | — | Swisher County | 83 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 52 | — | San Patricio County | 82 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 53 | — | Atascosa County | 82 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 54 | — | Lamar County | 82 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 55 | — | Orange County | 82 | very high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 56 | — | Victoria County | 82 | very high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 57 | — | Dawson County | 82 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 58 | — | Bowie County | 82 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 59 | — | Baylor County | 81 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 60 | — | Newton County | 81 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 61 | — | McCulloch County | 80 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 62 | — | Limestone County | 80 | very high county distress | Delinquency |
| 63 | — | Montague County | 80 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 64 | — | Live Oak County | 80 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 65 | — | Palo Pinto County | 80 | very high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 66 | — | Bexar County | 79 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 67 | — | Walker County | 79 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 68 | — | Hill County | 79 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 69 | — | Dallas County | 79 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 70 | — | Cochran County | 79 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 71 | — | Jasper County | 79 | high county distress | Labor |
| 72 | — | Wood County | 78 | high county distress | Labor |
| 73 | — | Hunt County | 78 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 74 | — | Bell County | 78 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 75 | — | Ector County | 78 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 76 | — | Coryell County | 78 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 77 | — | Aransas County | 78 | high county distress | Labor |
| 78 | — | Robertson County | 78 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 79 | — | Eastland County | 78 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 80 | — | Floyd County | 77 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 81 | — | Titus County | 77 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 82 | — | Kaufman County | 77 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 83 | — | Throckmorton County | 77 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 84 | — | La Salle County | 76 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 85 | — | Wilbarger County | 76 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 86 | — | Motley County | 76 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 87 | — | Upshur County | 75 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 88 | — | Harrison County | 75 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 89 | — | Val Verde County | 74 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 90 | — | Cherokee County | 74 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 91 | — | Stephens County | 74 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 92 | — | DeWitt County | 73 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 93 | — | Wichita County | 73 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 94 | — | Karnes County | 73 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 95 | — | McLennan County | 73 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 96 | — | Rusk County | 73 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 97 | — | Coleman County | 73 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 98 | — | Navarro County | 73 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 99 | — | Lubbock County | 72 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 100 | — | Cottle County | 72 | high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 101 | — | Hockley County | 71 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 102 | — | Reeves County | 71 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 103 | — | Tarrant County | 71 | high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 104 | — | Ward County | 70 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 105 | — | Caldwell County | 70 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 106 | — | Grimes County | 70 | high county distress | Labor |
| 107 | — | Grayson County | 70 | high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 108 | — | Garza County | 70 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 109 | — | Deaf Smith County | 70 | high county distress | Delinquency |
| 110 | — | Hutchinson County | 69 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 111 | — | Camp County | 69 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 112 | — | Donley County | 68 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 113 | — | Real County | 68 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 114 | — | Hudspeth County | 68 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 115 | — | Waller County | 68 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 116 | — | Erath County | 68 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 117 | — | Jack County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 118 | — | Terrell County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 119 | — | Sabine County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 120 | — | Schleicher County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 121 | — | Culberson County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 122 | — | Taylor County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 123 | — | Haskell County | 67 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 124 | — | Van Zandt County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 125 | — | Falls County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 126 | — | Hall County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 127 | — | Tom Green County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 128 | — | Fannin County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 129 | — | Johnson County | 66 | moderate-high county distress | Default & Legal |
| 130 | — | Galveston County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 131 | — | Pecos County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 132 | — | Jackson County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 133 | — | Panola County | 65 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 134 | — | Lamb County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 135 | — | Howard County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 136 | — | Freestone County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 137 | — | McMullen County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 138 | — | Madison County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 139 | — | Foard County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 140 | — | Wharton County | 64 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 141 | — | Smith County | 63 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 142 | — | Goliad County | 63 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 143 | — | Jeff Davis County | 63 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 144 | — | Bosque County | 63 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 145 | — | Mitchell County | 62 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 146 | — | Gonzales County | 61 | moderate-high county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 147 | — | Milam County | 61 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 148 | — | Hardin County | 60 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 149 | — | Scurry County | 60 | moderate-high county distress | Delinquency |
| 150 | — | Ellis County | 59 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 151 | — | Presidio County | 59 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 152 | — | Hopkins County | 59 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 153 | — | Childress County | 58 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 154 | — | Bailey County | 57 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 155 | — | Leon County | 57 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 156 | — | Gray County | 57 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 157 | — | Hamilton County | 57 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 158 | — | Stonewall County | 57 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 159 | — | Delta County | 56 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 160 | — | Menard County | 56 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 161 | — | Briscoe County | 55 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 162 | — | Runnels County | 55 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 163 | — | Brazos County | 55 | moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 164 | — | Bastrop County | 54 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 165 | — | Sutton County | 54 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 166 | — | Medina County | 54 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 167 | — | Concho County | 54 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 168 | — | Austin County | 54 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 169 | — | Callahan County | 54 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 170 | — | Knox County | 53 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 171 | — | Edwards County | 53 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 172 | — | Kinney County | 53 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 173 | — | Midland County | 53 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 174 | — | Lampasas County | 52 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 175 | — | Rains County | 51 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 176 | — | Cooke County | 50 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 177 | — | Colorado County | 50 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 178 | — | Hood County | 50 | moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 179 | — | Coke County | 50 | moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 180 | — | Sterling County | 49 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 181 | — | Moore County | 49 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 182 | — | Collingsworth County | 49 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 183 | — | Bandera County | 49 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 184 | — | Kent County | 48 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 185 | — | Andrews County | 48 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 186 | — | Comanche County | 48 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 187 | — | Brazoria County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 188 | — | Oldham County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 189 | — | Reagan County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 190 | — | San Saba County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 191 | — | Young County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 192 | — | Wheeler County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 193 | — | Castro County | 47 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 194 | — | Montgomery County | 46 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 195 | — | Fisher County | 46 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 196 | — | Burleson County | 46 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 197 | — | Chambers County | 45 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 198 | — | Kimble County | 45 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 199 | — | Clay County | 45 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 200 | — | Hansford County | 45 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 201 | — | Calhoun County | 44 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 202 | — | Hays County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 203 | — | Winkler County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 204 | — | Martin County | 43 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 205 | — | Lee County | 42 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 206 | — | Wilson County | 42 | moderate-low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 207 | — | Parker County | 42 | moderate-low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 208 | — | Shackelford County | 42 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 209 | — | Guadalupe County | 41 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 210 | — | Yoakum County | 41 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 211 | — | Parmer County | 40 | moderate-low county distress | Delinquency |
| 212 | — | Kerr County | 40 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 213 | — | Washington County | 39 | low-moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 214 | — | Crane County | 39 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 215 | — | Wise County | 38 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 216 | — | Fort Bend County | 38 | low-moderate county distress | Labor |
| 217 | — | Dallam County | 37 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 218 | — | Franklin County | 37 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 219 | — | Lynn County | 37 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 220 | — | Upton County | 34 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 221 | — | Borden County | 34 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 222 | — | Roberts County | 33 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 223 | — | Crockett County | 33 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 224 | — | Gaines County | 33 | low-moderate county distress | Labor |
| 225 | — | Llano County | 32 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 226 | — | Travis County | 32 | low-moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 227 | — | Fayette County | 32 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 228 | — | Mills County | 32 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 229 | — | Denton County | 31 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 230 | — | Hemphill County | 31 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 231 | — | Rockwall County | 31 | low-moderate county distress | Default & Legal |
| 232 | — | Sherman County | 30 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 233 | — | Burnet County | 30 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 234 | — | Ochiltree County | 29 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 235 | — | King County | 29 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 236 | — | Loving County | 28 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 237 | — | Randall County | 28 | low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 238 | — | Carson County | 28 | low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 239 | — | Irion County | 27 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 240 | — | Glasscock County | 26 | low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 241 | — | Comal County | 26 | low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 242 | — | Mason County | 25 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 243 | — | Collin County | 25 | low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 244 | — | Brewster County | 25 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 245 | — | Williamson County | 23 | low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 246 | — | Archer County | 23 | low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 247 | — | Hartley County | 22 | low county distress | Labor |
| 248 | — | Lipscomb County | 20 | low county distress | Labor |
| 249 | — | Lavaca County | 19 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 250 | — | Kendall County | 18 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 251 | — | Gillespie County | 18 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 252 | — | Blanco County | 16 | very low county distress | Labor |
| 253 | — | Somervell County | 12 | very low county distress | Labor |
| 254 | — | Armstrong County | 10 | very low county distress | Delinquency |
How County Scores Work
Each county is scored 0–100 using five equal-weighted domains. Each domain averages its member indicators' county ranks, the domains are averaged, and that average is ranked against every U.S. county. So a county's score is the share of U.S. counties it is more distressed than. National ranks are shown only for the 100 most and 100 least distressed counties, because ranks in between move between updates. Counties with identical composite scores share a rank, marked T- for tied.
extreme county distress — 18 Texas counties
very high county distress — 47 Texas counties
high county distress — 44 Texas counties
moderate-high county distress — 40 Texas counties
moderate county distress — 30 Texas counties
moderate-low county distress — 33 Texas counties
low-moderate county distress — 21 Texas counties
low county distress — 15 Texas counties
very low county distress — 6 Texas counties
exceptionally low county distress — 0 Texas counties
Urban Institute data: Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it.