Unemployment in Morris County, Texas, is higher than in 91% of U.S. counties
In Morris County, 5.8% of the labor force was out of work, on average. That is higher than in 91% of U.S. counties.
More distressed than 87% of U.S. counties.
What drives Morris County's score
In Morris County, late payments on loans weigh most: the score for late payments on loans is 92.5. People with a credit card behind: 12.2%, August 2025, higher than in 95% of U.S. counties. Income and the safety net comes next, at 85.9.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Morris 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.
Morris County does better than most counties on two measures: bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people (41.4, 2025) and renters paying half their income or more in rent (16.0%, 2020 to 2024).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 92.5 of 100
Late payments
Biggest factorCredit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind12.2% · August 2025top 5%
- People with a car or retail loan behind9.3% · August 202589th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score57.3% · second quarter of 202692nd percentile
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- 85.9 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line19.0% · 202483rd percentile
- Children below the poverty line30.6% · 202492nd percentile
- People with a disability21.9% · 2020 to 202488th percentile
- People without health insurance12.7% · 2020 to 202481st percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$54,697 · 202483rd percentile
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- 85.2 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year5.8% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202691st percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working26.3% · 2020 to 202478th percentile
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- 50.9 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 rent16.0% · 2020 to 202436th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income22.3% · fiscal year 202764th percentile
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- 49.2 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector38.3% · August 202591st percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people41.4 · 20256th 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 Morris 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 Morris County, 21.9% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Morris County
Texas
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Morris County, benefit checks' share of income has grown to about four times its 1969 level, reaching 38.3% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in about a quarter more than benefit checks
In Morris County, Texas, benefit checks' share of income grew to about four times its 1969 level by 2024, reaching 38.3%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
The share of households in Morris County getting SNAP food aid had its largest rise, from 15.8% in 2012 to 19.4% in 2013.
The share of households in Morris County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2015 and has since fallen by about a third
Low on the chart: 11.1% in 2009. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Morris County, Texas.
How Morris County has changed
Morris County's population rose most sharply from its first year (11,785 in 1969) to 13,173 in 1974.
Morris County's population was at its highest on the chart in 1984 and is down 17% since
High on the chart: 14,701 in 1984. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Morris County, Texas.
The jobs count covers work located in the county; the population count covers residents.
The number of jobs located in Morris County fell 29% from 1990 to 2025, reaching its lowest on the chart, with most of the change between 2015 and 2020
High on the chart: 4,814 in 2000. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Morris County, Texas.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 9.4% | 2025 5.5% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 20.1% | 2024 19.0% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $19,265 | 2024 $54,697 |
The table uses 5.5% for 2025; the score uses 5.8% 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 Morris County's history
1875
Founded 1875. Wikipedia
1980
The county's largest recorded population was the 1980 Census count of 14,629. The 2020 Census counted 11,973, 82% of the peak. Census Bureau
2022
A tornado in November 2022 did $5 million in property damage and killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
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Since 1966
18 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Morris County, 2 of them for flooding. FEMA
Morris County beside its neighbors
Of the seven counties that border Morris County, one scores higher. For the share of income from benefit checks, Morris County ranks 3rd of the eight; Marion County is highest, at 41.2%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County, TX | 92 | 21.0% | 41.2% |
| Morris County, TX | 87 | 19.0% | 38.3% |
| Red River County, TX | 86 | 15.0% | 39.3% |
| Cass County, TX | 86 | 16.5% | 38.3% |
| Bowie County, TX | 82 | 16.2% | 28.1% |
| Titus County, TX | 77 | 15.0% | 23.8% |
| Upshur County, TX | 75 | 13.7% | 29.2% |
| Camp County, TX | 69 | 15.7% | 29.9% |
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 Morris County the poorest county in Texas?
No, Morris County's poverty rate was 19.0% in 2024, 47th 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, Morris County ranks 27th of 254 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Morris 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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Lone Star 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 Morris 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 Morris County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.