Texas Counties’ Debt Outstanding
as of 8/31/11
In fiscal 2011, counties held about $13.3 billion in debt outstanding, a 7 percent share of all Texas local government debt. In the map at left, the darkest-colored counties hold the most outstanding debt per resident. Debt per resident in 2011 ranged from zero in 78 counties to $6,891 per resident in Garza County.
On the map or menu below, select your county for details on your county’s debt outstanding, including a breakdown of tax-supported and revenue-supported debt, and the amount of county debt per capita.
- $0.00
- $0.01 to $99.99
- $100.00 to $199.99
- $200.00 to $299.99
- Greater than $300.00
Source: Texas Bond Review Board
Digging Deeper on Local Debt
Now that you know the value of
debt burdens carried by your city, county and special purpose districts, you may have more
questions about local debt. The Texas Bond Review Board’s website provides additional data
about local government debts, including debts issued by year and local elections conducted
to approve or reject debt issues.
You can find that information on the Texas Bond Review Board’s Local Government Services Web page.
When reviewing bond data, you may find the following information helpful:
- Certificates of obligation and refinances of existing debt are typically approved and issued directly by a governing entity, without a taxpayer vote.
- Issuing tax-supported bonds generally requires a taxpayer vote.
- Bonds supported by revenue generally only require a governing entity’s approval for issuance.