Austin County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.1 | 31,677 people · 196th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Austin County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.1 — 1743rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Texas, it ranks 196th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Austin County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 67.3 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 67.3
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 90
Student Loan Delinquency 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30
Housing Cost Burden 58.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 78
Homeownership Rate 33
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Community Vulnerability 54.4
Uninsured Rate 88
Disability Rate 20
Income & Poverty 33.7
Poverty Rate 34
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 51
Employment & Wages 26.1
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 6
Business Formation Rate 27

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Austin County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Austin County
Austin County, TX 48.1 Normal —
Wharton County, TX 63.1 Elevated +15.1
Waller County, TX 56.5 Elevated +8.5
Washington County, TX 55.4 Elevated +7.3
Colorado County, TX 52.5 Elevated +4.4
Fort Bend County, TX 42.4 Normal -5.7
Fayette County, TX 39.0 Normal -9.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Austin County
Idaho County, ID 48.1 Normal +0.0
Greene County, PA 48.0 Normal -0.0
Pend Oreille County, WA 48.1 Normal +0.0
Banks County, GA 48.1 Normal +0.1
Logan County, KY 48.0 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Austin 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 Austin 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 Austin County, Texas?

    Austin County has a County Distress Index score of 48.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,743rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 196th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Austin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Austin County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 67.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Austin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Austin County (48.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wharton County, TX (63.1); Waller County, TX (56.5); Washington County, TX (55.4).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Austin County?

    Austin County, Texas has a population of approximately 31,677 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.