HOUSTON – In a report conducted by WalletHub, Texas was revealed to be the number one state in financial distress in the country.

PREVIOUS: Texas named most financially distressed state in America, report says

This would be the second time Texas made the top list after doing so previously in 2024. The figure was established through a survey that asked residents about various metrics, from credit scores to bankruptcy filings.

“Texas is the state experiencing the most financial distress,” said Chip Lupo, an analyst at WalletHub. “(This) is demonstrated by the fact that residents had the ninth-lowest average credit score in the country in Q1 2025.”

It isn’t just a low average credit score that is causing Texas to fare so badly in reports. There are a variety of other metrics where Texas falters when compared to other states.

“Texas also had the third-highest number of accounts in forbearance or with deferred payments per person,” Lupo said. “And, Texas has the seventh-highest share of people with these distressed accounts, at 7.1%.”

Additionally, Texas ranked 6th in the change in number of bankruptcy filings, revealing that financial distress experienced by residents can often result in a drastic outcome. But why are these metrics so important to measure, and what can we take away from the results?

Experts say that reports on fiscal distress can shed light on weak points within a state and point out areas that are in need of improvement.

“Measuring the share of residents in financial distress is a good way to take the pulse of a state and see whether people are generally thriving or having trouble making ends meet,” Lupo said. “When you combine data about people delaying payments with other metrics like bankruptcy filings and credit score changes, it paints a good picture of the overall economic trends of a state.”

Check out the full report by WalletHub by clicking here.

KERR COUNTY, Texas – As rescue teams continue their search for flood victims, a flash flood watch has been issued in the Texas Hill Country, making an already difficult task that much harder.

More rain slows search in Central Texas

HUNT, TEXAS – JULY 6: Search and rescue workers dig through debris looking for any survivors or remains of people swept up in the flash flooding on July 6, 2025 in Hunt, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas

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Rainfall rates could exceed 2 inches per hour throughout the day. The ground is already saturated.

This has forced many search groups to temporarily halt the search for some 97 people – a drop from the 161 reported last week. As of Tuesday morning, the death toll has reached 133. Kerr County was hit the hardest, with more than 100 bodies recovered there so far. 

FOX 4 meteorologist Ali Turiano walked us through the unusually wet forecast in Central Texas. She says this very active weather pattern is not something we typically see this time of year.

What they’re saying:

“We’re wedged in between two ridges of high pressure, and we’ve had this continuous moisture flow coming in from the southwest.”

With those conditions came several additional inches of rain to parts of the Texas Hill Country that had already been devastated by deadly flash flooding on Independence Day.

“The ground will soak up maybe an inch or two of rain, and the rest is just runoff. So at this point, anything they’re dealing with – any showers or storms moving through – it’s going to be runoff,” Ali said.

Ali says July is typically a dry month.

“The longer it takes for us to get to your typical summer pattern, the more likely we will continue to have rain chances.”

But despite the weather set back, Gov. Greg Abbott says volunteers and fire responders are determined to see their mission through.

Abbott specifically praised the Kerr County Sheriff, who he says has shown incredible strength and leadership during this difficult time.

Ali says that in the 11 years she’s worked here in Texas, she has never seen a summer weather pattern like this.

What’s next:

The encouraging news is, weather conditions in the Texas Hill Country will continue to improve after today, which should help the search efforts.

But with the rain moving out, Ali says higher temperatures and humidity will move in.

How to help Texas flooding victims

What you can do:

Many businesses and organizations are providing resources for those impacted by the flooding. FOX has collected a list of ways those affected can receive help, and what others can do to assist them. Take a look at the resource list here.

Read more:

KERR COUNTY, Texas – Heavy rain put search efforts on pause as crews continue to look for dozens of people who went missing after floods on Fourth of July weekend.

Some officials say they believe the search will last for months.

Kerr County searches

KERRVILLE, TEXAS – JULY 14: Search and rescue operations are performed in the Guadalupe River on July 14, 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. More than 160 people are still missing after storm cells halted over the area, dumping nearly 15 inches of rain and ca

By the numbers:

In Kerr County, the hardest hit area, state officials are still looking for 97 people.

The Kerr County sheriff said on Monday he believes it could take as long as six months to find some of the missing.

What they’re saying:

Sometimes recovering a body is just the beginning.

Gov. Greg Abbott says once a body is recovered it can take several days to identify.

“Sometimes it does require using DNA testing to identify who they are and identify who their family is,” he said on Monday.

Rainy weekend slows search efforts

Texas flooding death toll rises with recovery efforts

Gov. Greg Abbott gave an update today on the recovery efforts in Central Texas, saying there are now 131 people confirmed dead across the state. He shared those details after touring more areas impacted by flooding this weekend.

Search efforts were put on pause starting on Sunday because of rain and water coming down the Guadalupe River.

What they’re saying:

Texas Department of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd said the rainfall could make the situation dangerous for search crews.

“We cannot afford to have people in that water and right next to the water that are not swift rescue trained and capable of at least saving themselves from being near that water because of the amount of rainfall that we’re getting,” he said.

Help for those affected

The Texas Division of Emergency Management says 13,000 volunteers are assisting with flood-related recovery.

TDEM is establishing volunteer reception centers to match capabilities and skills with what the communities need.

What they’re saying:

Daniel Olivas is one of several Kerrville residents who had their homes significantly damaged in the floods.

On Sunday, he says dozens of volunteer “angels” came to his home to help.

“We had up to 30 people on Sunday,” Oliveras said. 

Others say volunteer help is needed now, more than ever.

“It’s really emotional. It’s been a blessing. God has watched over us for this whole ordeal and I cannot express how much I appreciate everything that they have done for us,” said Colleen Lucas.

Kerrville extends disaster declaration

Local perspective:

On Monday, Kerrville City Council voted to indefinitely extend the mayor’s disaster declaration.

City officials have faced questions about what some believe was a lack of preparedness.

At Monday’s meeting, Councilwoman Brenda Hughes called for extra security, claiming “targeted threats” were being made to city staff.

What they’re saying:

The city is asking people to stop donating physical items.

“No more donations. We are at capacity, we appreciate all of the donations but we literally just don’t have the time, space and people to manage it,” said Councilwoman Delayne Sigerman.