In Blanco County, Texas, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in seven dollars of the typical household's income
In Blanco County, 15.1% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 96% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 83% of U.S. counties.
What drives Blanco County's score
In Blanco County, jobs are the highest-scoring part, at 40.4. Late payments on loans are the lowest part, at 16.2. People with a car or retail loan behind: 2.4%, August 2025, lower than in 92% of U.S. counties.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Blanco County: jobs, late payments on loans, income and the safety net, collections and bankruptcy, and housing costs. Each part is scored from 0 to 100, and a higher score means worse off than other counties.
Even so, Blanco County is worse off than most counties on people without health insurance (14.7%, 2020 to 2024).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 40.4 of 100
Jobs
Biggest factorUnemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year3.8% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202639th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working19.3% · 2020 to 202441st percentile
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- 37.3 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector20.2% · August 202538th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people99.6 · 202535th percentile
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- 32.6 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line8.0% · 20248th percentile
- Children below the poverty line11.2% · 202418th percentile
- People with a disability15.1% · 2020 to 202441st percentile
- People without health insurance14.7% · 2020 to 202488th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$97,321 · 20246th percentile
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- 20.0 of 100
Housing costs
Renters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027
- Renters paying half their income or more in rent15.6% · 2020 to 202434th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income15.1% · fiscal year 20275th or lower percentile
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- 16.2 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind3.5% · August 202518th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind2.4% · August 20257th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score33.2% · second quarter of 202623rd percentile
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Sources: Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents and Census income; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. County Distress Index by American Default Research, from data through Sep 2026.
Where the money in Blanco County comes from
Benefit checks are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid paid on people's behalf, veterans' benefits, and food and income support, so a high share usually means an older population, low pay, or both. In Blanco County, 26.4% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Blanco County
Texas
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
Benefit checks' share of income in Blanco County had its largest rise, from 16.1% in 1989 to 21.1% in 1994.
In Blanco County, benefit checks' share of income has grown since 1969, reaching 19.2% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in more than twice as much as benefit checks
In Blanco County, Texas, benefit checks' share of income rose by about a third from 1969 to 2024, reaching 19.2%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
The share of households in Blanco County getting SNAP food aid had its largest drop, from 7.9% in 2013 to 5.8% in 2014.
The share of households in Blanco County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2013 and has since fallen to 4.7%
Low on the chart: 4.1% in 2016. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Blanco County, Texas.
How Blanco County has changed
Blanco County's population had its largest rise in the last span, from 11,191 in 2019 to 13,358 in 2024.
Blanco County's population grew to about four times its 1969 size in 2024, reaching 13,358, with no dip in any year shown
Smallest rise: 2009 to 2014, reaching 10,449. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Blanco County, Texas.
The number of jobs located in Blanco County had its largest rise in the last span, from 3,513 in 2020 to 4,106 in 2025.
The number of jobs located in Blanco County more than doubled from 1990 to 2025, reaching 4,106, with no dip in any year shown
Smallest rise: 2000 to 2005, reaching 2,488. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Blanco County, Texas.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 1.6% | 2025 3.5% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 11.9% | 2024 8.0% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $20,433 | 2024 $97,321 |
The table uses 3.5% for 2025; the score uses 3.8% for the latest year (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026), both from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Blanco County's history
1933
Civilian Conservation Corps 1933-1942 improved county parks and infrastructure. Wikipedia
1980
A tornado in August 1980 did $25 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2001
A flash flood in November 2001 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2007
A flash flood in May 2007 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2015
A flash flood in May 2015 did $20 million in property damage and killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2020
The county's largest recorded population was the 2020 Census count of 11,374, which is also its most recent census. Census Bureau
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Since 1989
21 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Blanco County, 7 of them for flooding. FEMA
Blanco County beside its neighbors
All seven counties that border Blanco County score higher than it does. For the share of income from benefit checks, Blanco County ranks 3rd of the eight; Llano County is highest, at 27.1%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hays County, TX | 43 | 10.8% | 12.8% |
| Llano County, TX | 32 | 11.8% | 27.1% |
| Travis County, TX | 32 | 10.5% | 7.6% |
| Burnet County, TX | 30 | 9.2% | 19.9% |
| Comal County, TX | 26 | 6.9% | 17.2% |
| Kendall County, TX | 18 | 6.5% | 13.4% |
| Gillespie County, TX | 18 | 8.2% | 18.5% |
| Blanco County, TX | 16 | 8.0% | 19.2% |
Distress score: American Default Research, County Distress Index, data through Sep 2026; each county scored against all 3,144. Poverty rate: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. Benefit checks: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.
Is Blanco County the poorest county in Texas?
No, Blanco County's poverty rate was 8.0% in 2024, 240th highest of 254 in Texas (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By that measure the poorest county in the state is Starr County, at 35.4%. On our distress index, which counts more than poverty, Blanco County ranks 252nd of 254 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Blanco County
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.
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Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Legal aid
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HUD-approved housing counselors
Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.
The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.
Download the CSV for Blanco County · Every U.S. county (CSV)
Sources and method
- American Default Research · County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026, built from Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; Census Bureau, American Community Survey; HUD Fair Market Rents and Census income; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it. Our methodology
- Urban Institute · Debt in America 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.
- Rent on a two-bedroom and household income The rent share compares HUD fair market rent for fiscal year 2027 with Census Bureau median household income for 2024. The page calls this the typical household's income.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4) · income shares Where the money in Blanco County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.