In Roberts County, Texas, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in seven dollars of the typical household's income
In Roberts County, 14.8% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 97% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 66% of U.S. counties.
What drives Roberts County's score
In Roberts County, late payments on loans are the highest-scoring part, at 65.4. Housing costs are the lowest part, at 5.0. Almost no renters (0.0%, 2020 to 2024) pay half their income or more in rent, a lower share than in 95% of U.S. counties.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Roberts 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.
Even so, Roberts County is worse off than most counties on unemployment rate, average over the latest year (4.8%, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 65.4 of 100
Late payments
Biggest factorCredit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behindnot published for this county; scored at the state median · August 202573rd percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behindnot published for this county; scored at the state median · August 202573rd percentile
- People with a subprime credit score40.0% · second quarter of 202649th percentile
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- 55.4 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collectornot published for this county; scored at the state median · August 202586th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 peoplenot published for this county; scored at the state median · 202524th percentile
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- 52.5 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year4.8% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202675th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working17.4% · 2020 to 202429th percentile
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- 24.7 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line8.6% · 202412th percentile
- Children below the poverty line10.3% · 202414th percentile
- People with a disability11.4% · 2020 to 202410th percentile
- People without health insurance11.1% · 2020 to 202473rd percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$87,615 · 202412th percentile
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- 5.0 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 rent0.0% · 2020 to 20245th or lower percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income14.8% · fiscal year 20275th or lower 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 Roberts 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 Roberts County, 17.8% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Roberts County
Texas
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
Benefit checks' share of income in Roberts County made its largest gain on the way to its 2009 high, from 10.1% in 2004 to 15.8% in 2009.
In Roberts County, benefit checks' share of income has doubled since 1969, reaching 15.8% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in about four times as much as benefit checks
In Roberts County, Texas, benefit checks' share of income doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 15.8%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
SNAP food aid is one of the benefit checks counted in the income totals above.
The share of households in Roberts County getting SNAP food aid fell by about half from 2009 to 2024, reaching 3.4%, with its low point on the chart in 2021
Low on the chart: 0.0% in 2021. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Roberts County, Texas.
How Roberts County has changed
Roberts County's population had its largest drop, from 1,112 in 1984 to 977 in 1989.
Roberts County's population was at its highest on the chart in 1979 and has since fallen by about a quarter
High on the chart: 1,112 in 1979. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Roberts County, Texas.
The number of jobs located in Roberts County had its largest drop in the last span, from 261 in 2020 to 170 in 2025.
The number of jobs located in Roberts County was at its highest on the chart in 2015 and is down 41% since
High on the chart: 288 in 2015. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Roberts County, Texas.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 4.7% | 2025 4.6% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 7.1% | 2024 8.6% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $28,766 | 2024 $87,615 |
The table uses 4.6% for 2025; the score uses 4.8% 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 Roberts County's history
1870
Buffalo hunters killed large herds, destroying food supply and livelihood of Plains tribes. Wikipedia
1874
Comanche hunted buffalo herds on the prairie until driven out in Red River War. Wikipedia
1876
Created in 1876 and organized in 1889. Wikipedia
1920
The county's largest recorded population was the 1920 Census count of 1,469. The 2020 Census counted 827, 56% of the peak. Census Bureau
1968
A tornado in May 1968 did $2.5 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
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Since 1998
13 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Roberts County. FEMA
Roberts County beside its neighbors
Of the seven counties that border Roberts County, three score higher. For the share of income from benefit checks, Roberts County ranks 4th of the eight; Hutchinson County is highest, at 26.2%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson County, TX | 69 | 14.4% | 26.2% |
| Gray County, TX | 57 | 15.4% | 24.2% |
| Hansford County, TX | 45 | 11.1% | 11.9% |
| Roberts County, TX | 33 | 8.6% | 15.8% |
| Hemphill County, TX | 31 | 10.2% | 13.6% |
| Ochiltree County, TX | 29 | 11.4% | 14.1% |
| Carson County, TX | 28 | 9.5% | 21.9% |
| Lipscomb County, TX | 20 | 13.4% | 9.1% |
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 Roberts County the poorest county in Texas?
No, Roberts County's poverty rate was 8.6% in 2024, 235th 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, Roberts County ranks 222nd of 254 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Roberts 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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Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas
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 Roberts 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 Roberts County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.