Baldwin County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.8 | 253,507 people · 61st most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Baldwin County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.8 — 1411th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Alabama, it ranks 61st of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Baldwin County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.9 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 93
Economic Vitality 63.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Rent-to-Income Ratio 56
Business Formation Rate 18
House Price Change (YoY) 67
Housing Cost Burden 54.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 46
Homeownership Rate 33
Consumer Credit Distress 53.4
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Uninsured Rate 51
Subprime Credit Population 54
Structural Poverty 19.5
Unemployment Rate 1
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 31
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 29

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Baldwin County
Baldwin County, AL 52.8 Elevated —
Mobile County, AL 76.2 Serious +23.4
Escambia County, FL 73.6 Serious +20.8
Escambia County, AL 69.6 Serious +16.8
Monroe County, AL 65.3 Serious +12.5
Clarke County, AL 63.3 Elevated +10.4
Washington County, AL 56.5 Elevated +3.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Baldwin County
Stark County, OH 52.8 Elevated -0.1
Gloucester County, NJ 53.0 Elevated +0.1
Arapahoe County, CO 52.7 Elevated -0.2
Northampton County, PA 53.0 Elevated +0.2
Monterey County, CA 53.1 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Baldwin County

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Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-392-5660

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Legal aid organizations serving Baldwin County residents at no cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Baldwin County, Alabama?

    Baldwin County has a County Distress Index score of 52.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,411th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 61st in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Baldwin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Baldwin County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Baldwin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Baldwin County (52.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Mobile County, AL (76.2); Escambia County, FL (73.6); Escambia County, AL (69.6).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Baldwin County's score of 52.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Baldwin County's CDI score?

    Baldwin County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Baldwin County?

    Baldwin County, Alabama has a population of approximately 253,507 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.