1 Child
~20%
2.0pp above average
Data updated September 2026
2024 guideline data Percentage of Income model OCSE FY2023 source
Texas Child Support Guidelines
Texas carries 1,488,340 Title IV-D cases - a heavy-third book on OCSE P-52 volume. The Percentage of Income schedule (5 jurisdictions on this model) opens higher than most peers before deviations.
- 20%
- 1-child base rate
- #4 of 51
- base-rate rank
- #1
- enforcement caseload rank
- 85.8%
- cases with order
$1,122/mo
One-child base rate at Texas's median income
20% of $67,321, the Census ACS 2022 median household income for Texas, divided across twelve months, 18% above the median state. An index for comparing states, not a case estimate: guidelines apply to the obligor's income, or to combined parental income under the Income Shares model, and a court sets the actual order. How this is derived.
OCSE guideline posture brief
Texas Title IV-D posture in this snapshot
Entity-varying stamps from NCSL guideline tables and OCSE FY2023 preliminary reporting (P-52 caseload, P-4 collections, P-64 order share) - not a clone nationwide scaffold.
- 20% published one-child starting rate #4 of 51
- Percentage 5 jurisdictions share this model
- 85.8% caseload with support order (OCSE P-64) #30 nationally
- 1,488,340 Title IV-D caseload (OCSE P-52) #1 by volume
- $2,854 distributed collections per case (our calc)
- Alaska nearest rate peer (Δ 0.0 pts)
- 2024 guideline vintage on registry
One-child rate neighbourhood
Published starting percentages among the nearest rate peers (snapshot September 2026).
Percentage of Income · PCT · MID
National context
Where Texas's one-child starting rate sits
Each bar counts states with a published one-child base rate in that 3-point band. Texas's higher-third 20% mark is highlighted. Counts are exact from the 51-jurisdiction dataset.
Texas's 20% published one-child base rate is higher than 42 of 51 recorded state rates. The comparison describes guideline starting percentages, not a complete child-support estimate. Texas sits in a higher-rate band on this histogram.
Source: State guideline records, 51 jurisdictions with published one-child base rates
2 Children
~25%
0.7pp below average
3 Children
~30%
1.3pp below average
4 Children
~35%
At the national average
Income Cap
$9,200
per month
Large Title IV-D caseload
Texas in the heavy-caseload third
1,488,340 active cases put Texas in the heaviest third by OCSE P-52 volume (#1).
Texas carries 1,488,340 Title IV-D cases - a heavy-third book on OCSE P-52 volume. The Percentage of Income schedule (5 jurisdictions on this model) opens higher than most peers before deviations. Countable income caps at $9,200/mo - above that line the elevated schedule stops and discretion takes over. Nearest one-child rate peer: Alaska at 20% (Δ 0.0 pts). Texas allows a parenting-time adjustment when the non-custodial parent exercises substantial overnight time. A percentage figure alone does not determine the dollar amount - compare Texas to other guideline models →
On OCSE FY2023 tables, Texas ranks #30 of 51 on order-establishment share and #1 by caseload volume (~$2,854 distributed per case, our calc on P-4/P-52). Source: HHS Office of Child Support Services, FY 2023 Preliminary Report.
How Texas Calculates Child Support
Texas uses the Percentage of Income model. A fixed percentage of the non-custodial parent's income is applied based on the number of children. Its one-child base rate is in line with the national middle range. That higher-third starting rate is the schedule's open before deviations.
Percentage of obligor net monthly resources. 1 child = 20%, 2 = 25%, 3 = 30%, 4 = 35%, 5 = 40%, 6+ = no less than 40%. Cap at $9,200/mo net. Parenting time credit for 100+ overnights.
Texas guideline parameters
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Formula Model | Percentage of Income |
| Income Floor | None |
| Income Ceiling | $9,200/mo net |
| Parenting Time Adjustment | Available |
| Median Household Income | $67,321/yr |
| Single-Child Base | 20% (rank #4 of 51) |
Not legal advice for Texas: figures here are published-guideline estimates only. Actual orders can differ under judicial discretion, deviation factors, and the current Texas schedule. Consult a family law attorney licensed in Texas.
Texas Child Support Enforcement
1,488,340
Active Cases
$4,247.8M
Annual Collections
85.8%
Cases with Orders
$2,854
Collected per case (our calculation)
Texas vs national average (51 reporting states)
Cases with orders 85.8%
national
85.8% of Texas's caseload has a support order established; average across the 51 jurisdictions 86.6%.
Source: HHS Office of Child Support Services, FY 2023 Preliminary Report, Tables P-52 (caseload), P-4 (distributed collections) and P-64 (cases with orders)
B
State Support Program Score
74/100
Texas
Based on order-establishment rate, per-case collection efficiency, and calculator access from federal OCSE and Census ACS data, not the guideline percentage itself, case outcomes, or any individual family's experience.
Order Establishment D
85.8%
Share of caseload with a support order in place (OCSE Table P-64); 51-state range 80.5%-93.8%, median 86.6%
Collection Efficiency A
$2,854/case
Dollars collected per enforcement case per year (OCSE Table P-4); 51-state range $1,522-$2,922, median $2,131
Income-Adjusted Collections A+
4.24% of median income
Collections per case relative to state median household income (OCSE + Census ACS); 51-state range 2.39%-4.24%, median 3.16%
Calculator Access A+
Available
Whether the state publishes an official online support calculator
Calculate Texas Child Support
Our interactive calculator uses Texas's formula with your specific income and parenting time inputs.
Open Texas CalculatorNearest one-child rate peers
Closest published starting percentages to Texas's 20% (MID band) - model stamps INC/PCT/MEL, not an A-Z clone list.
Read our methodology - how Texas guideline and OCSE figures on this page are sourced.
Data sources for Texas
Guideline parameters from Texas statutes and published schedules; enforcement columns from HHS OCSS FY2023 Preliminary Report (P-52 / P-4 / P-64). See methodology. Retrieved and formatted by PlainChildSupport for Texas.