Deaf Smith County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.2 | 18,347 people · 140th most distressed in Texas
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Deaf Smith County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.2 — 1065th 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 140th of 254 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Deaf Smith County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 78.1 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 78.1
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 94
Student Loan Delinquency 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 94
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15
Income & Poverty 64.2
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 51
Child Poverty Rate 71
Community Vulnerability 50.0
Uninsured Rate 95
Disability Rate 5
Housing Cost Burden 47.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 21
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 23
Homeownership Rate 82
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Employment & Wages 46.8
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Business Formation Rate 77

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Deaf Smith County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Deaf Smith County
Deaf Smith County, TX 57.2 Elevated —
Quay County, NM 67.7 Serious +10.5
Potter County, TX 66.8 Serious +9.5
Curry County, NM 63.6 Elevated +6.4
Castro County, TX 53.7 Elevated -3.5
Oldham County, TX 50.3 Elevated -7.0
Parmer County, TX 45.3 Normal -12.0
Randall County, TX 41.7 Normal -15.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Deaf Smith County
Bath County, KY 57.2 Elevated 0.0
Audrain County, MO 57.3 Elevated +0.0
Walthall County, MS 57.2 Elevated -0.0
Greenbrier County, WV 57.3 Elevated +0.0
Washington County, IN 57.2 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Deaf Smith County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Deaf Smith 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 Deaf Smith 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 Deaf Smith County, Texas?

    Deaf Smith County has a County Distress Index score of 57.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,065th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 140th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Deaf Smith County?

    The primary driver of distress in Deaf Smith County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 78.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Deaf Smith County compare to neighboring counties?

    Deaf Smith County (57.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Quay County, NM (67.7); Potter County, TX (66.8); Curry County, NM (63.6).

  • 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 Deaf Smith County?

    Deaf Smith County, Texas has a population of approximately 18,347 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.