Orange County, Texas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.9 | 85,722 people · 106th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

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Orange County, TX registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.9 — 769th 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 106th of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Orange County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 74.9 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 74.9
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 88
Student Loan Delinquency 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 68
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Community Vulnerability 74.7
Uninsured Rate 91
Disability Rate 59
Housing Cost Burden 55.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 40
Employment & Wages 50.9
Unemployment Rate 72
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 70
Income & Poverty 48.3
Poverty Rate 58
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 58

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Orange County
Orange County, TX 60.9 Elevated —
Jefferson County, TX 66.8 Serious +6.0
Newton County, TX 65.8 Serious +5.0
Jasper County, TX 59.4 Elevated -1.5
Calcasieu Parish, LA 58.2 Elevated -2.7
Hardin County, TX 55.2 Elevated -5.6
Cameron Parish, LA 38.1 Normal -22.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Orange County
Oktibbeha County, MS 60.9 Elevated +0.0
Laurel County, KY 60.8 Elevated -0.1
Taney County, MO 60.9 Elevated +0.1
Sampson County, NC 61.0 Elevated +0.1
Linn County, OR 61.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Orange 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 Orange 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Texas →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Orange County, Texas?

    Orange County has a County Distress Index score of 60.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 769th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 106th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Orange County?

    The primary driver of distress in Orange County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 74.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Orange County compare to neighboring counties?

    Orange County (60.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, TX (66.8); Newton County, TX (65.8); Jasper County, TX (59.4).

  • 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 Orange County?

    Orange County, Texas has a population of approximately 85,722 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.