Lavaca County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.0 | 20,571 people · 232nd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Lavaca County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.0 — 2353rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where health coverage gaps and disability rates are moderately elevated. Within Texas, it ranks 232nd of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lavaca County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 49.5 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 49.5
Uninsured Rate 72
Disability Rate 28
Employment & Wages 44.2
Unemployment Rate 19
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 63
Income & Poverty 39.3
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 41
Debt & Delinquency 36.1
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 82
Student Loan Delinquency 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 14
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9
Housing Cost Burden 30.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 26
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 36

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lavaca County
Lavaca County, TX 40.0 Normal —
Victoria County, TX 67.0 Serious +27.1
DeWitt County, TX 65.9 Serious +26.0
Gonzales County, TX 61.2 Elevated +21.2
Jackson County, TX 59.4 Elevated +19.4
Colorado County, TX 52.5 Elevated +12.5
Fayette County, TX 39.0 Normal -0.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lavaca County
Shenandoah County, VA 40.0 Normal +0.0
Fountain County, IN 40.0 Normal +0.1
Fulton County, PA 40.0 Normal +0.1
Jefferson County, WA 40.0 Normal +0.1
Sevier County, UT 40.0 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lavaca 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 Lavaca 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 Lavaca County, Texas?

    Lavaca County has a County Distress Index score of 40.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,353rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 232nd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lavaca County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lavaca County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 49.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Lavaca County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lavaca County (40.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Victoria County, TX (67.0); DeWitt County, TX (65.9); Gonzales County, TX (61.2).

  • 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 Lavaca County?

    Lavaca County, Texas has a population of approximately 20,571 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.