Sterling County, Texas

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.9 | 1,397 people · 222nd most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Sterling County, TX falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.9 — 2151st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Texas, it ranks 222nd of 254 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Sterling County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 56.6 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 56.6
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 33
Student Loan Delinquency 80
Auto Loan Delinquency 74
Credit Card Delinquency 73
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 25
Community Vulnerability 50.4
Uninsured Rate 95
Disability Rate 6
Employment & Wages 48.9
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 88
Housing Cost Burden 33.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 23
Homeownership Rate 6
Rent-to-Income Ratio 10
Income & Poverty 25.1
Poverty Rate 33
Income vs. State Median 9
Child Poverty Rate 33

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Sterling County
Sterling County, TX 42.9 Normal —
Mitchell County, TX 62.0 Elevated +19.1
Tom Green County, TX 60.0 Elevated +17.1
Howard County, TX 58.4 Elevated +15.5
Coke County, TX 48.9 Normal +6.0
Reagan County, TX 39.7 Normal -3.3
Glasscock County, TX 31.9 Healthy -11.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Sterling County
Granite County, MT 42.9 Normal +0.0
Caldwell County, MO 42.8 Normal -0.1
Kingman County, KS 42.8 Normal -0.1
Tripp County, SD 42.8 Normal -0.2
Kearny County, KS 42.7 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sterling 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 Sterling 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Sterling County has a County Distress Index score of 42.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,151st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 222nd in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sterling County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sterling County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 56.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Sterling County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sterling County (42.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Mitchell County, TX (62.0); Tom Green County, TX (60.0); Howard County, TX (58.4).

  • 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 Sterling County?

    Sterling County, Texas has a population of approximately 1,397 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.