Jim Wells County, Texas
County Distress Index score and five-domain breakdown for Jim Wells County. Population: 38,662 (small).
Data: Census, BLS, Urban Institute, HUD, US Courts | Scores as of 2026-03-17
Jim Wells County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 78.1 — 17th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Income & Poverty, where poverty rates are high and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Texas, it ranks 2nd of 254 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.
Five-Domain Breakdown
How Jim Wells County compares to all U.S. counties across five dimensions of financial distress. Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.
Income & Poverty
Primary DriverDebt & Delinquency
Community Vulnerability
Employment & Wages
Housing Cost Burden
How Jim Wells County Compares
Neighboring Counties
| County | Score | Zone | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Wells County, TX | 78.1 | Serious Stress | — |
| Duval County, TX | 76.7 | Serious Stress | -1.4 |
| Brooks County, TX | 76.2 | Serious Stress | -1.9 |
| Kleberg County, TX | 75.5 | Serious Stress | -2.6 |
| San Patricio County, TX | 73.3 | Serious Stress | -4.8 |
| Nueces County, TX | 70.1 | Serious Stress | -8.0 |
Population Peers
Counties with similar population (small) and closest distress scores nationally.
| County | Score | Zone | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, MS | 78.1 | Serious Stress | +0.0 |
| Holmes County, MS | 77.8 | Serious Stress | -0.3 |
| Bell County, KY | 77.8 | Serious Stress | -0.3 |
| Hardee County, FL | 77.3 | Serious Stress | -0.8 |
| Halifax County, NC | 77.3 | Serious Stress | -0.8 |
Download Data
Export all distress indicators for Jim Wells County as a CSV file.
Resources
Jim Wells County scores in the Serious Stress zone. If you or someone you know is experiencing financial hardship, free help is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the distress score for Jim Wells County, Texas?
Jim Wells County has a County Distress Index score of 78.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious Stress zone. It ranks 17th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Texas out of 254 counties.
What drives financial distress in Jim Wells County?
The primary driver of distress in Jim Wells County is Income & Poverty, where the county scores 88.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median, Child Poverty Rate.
How does Jim Wells County compare to neighboring counties?
Jim Wells County (78.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Duval County, TX (76.7); Brooks County, TX (76.2); Kleberg County, TX (75.5).
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 Jim Wells County?
Jim Wells County, Texas has a population of approximately 38,662 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.