Hays County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.8 | 280,486 people · 194th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Hays County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.8 — 1689th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Texas, it ranks 194th of 254 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hays County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 92.6 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 92.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 98
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 86
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Employment & Wages 50.9
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 97
Business Formation Rate 22
Debt & Delinquency 46.1
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 69
Student Loan Delinquency 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31
Community Vulnerability 44.0
Uninsured Rate 77
Disability Rate 11
Income & Poverty 10.4
Poverty Rate 19
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Hays County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hays County
Hays County, TX 48.8 Normal —
Caldwell County, TX 63.6 Elevated +14.8
Guadalupe County, TX 41.7 Normal -7.1
Travis County, TX 39.8 Normal -9.0
Comal County, TX 39.8 Normal -9.0
Blanco County, TX 36.1 Normal -12.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hays County
Davidson County, TN 48.8 Normal -0.0
Santa Cruz County, CA 48.8 Normal +0.0
Summit County, OH 49.0 Normal +0.2
Ventura County, CA 48.6 Normal -0.2
Baltimore County, MD 48.6 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hays 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 Hays 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 Hays County, Texas?

    Hays County has a County Distress Index score of 48.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,689th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 194th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hays County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hays County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 92.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hays County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hays County (48.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Caldwell County, TX (63.6); Guadalupe County, TX (41.7); Travis County, TX (39.8).

  • 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 Hays County?

    Hays County, Texas has a population of approximately 280,486 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.