Barbour County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.1 | 24,585 people · 17th most distressed in Alabama
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Barbour County, AL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.1 — 310th 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 17th of 67 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Barbour County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 98.8 — worse than roughly 99% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 98.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 89.1
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Uninsured Rate 70
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 78.8
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 96
Income vs. State Median 82
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 90
Housing Cost Burden 39.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 30
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 30
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 48
Homeownership Rate 79
Economic Vitality 31.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 45
Business Formation Rate 42
House Price Change (YoY) 83

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Barbour County
Barbour County, AL 72.1 Serious —
Russell County, AL 86.5 Crisis +14.4
Bullock County, AL 82.5 Crisis +10.4
Pike County, AL 78.4 Serious +6.3
Quitman County, GA 70.0 Serious -2.1
Clay County, GA 69.7 Serious -2.4
Stewart County, GA 66.9 Serious -5.2
Dale County, AL 62.4 Elevated -9.7
Henry County, AL 57.9 Elevated -14.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Barbour County
St. Mary Parish, LA 72.1 Serious +0.0
Hale County, AL 72.1 Serious +0.0
Cibola County, NM 72.1 Serious -0.0
Luna County, NM 72.1 Serious +0.0
Palo Pinto County, TX 72.2 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Barbour 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

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Barbour County residents at no cost.

Legal Services Alabama 1-866-456-4995
Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-392-5660

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Barbour County has a County Distress Index score of 72.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 310th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Barbour County?

    The primary driver of distress in Barbour County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 98.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Barbour County compare to neighboring counties?

    Barbour County (72.1) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Russell County, AL (86.5); Bullock County, AL (82.5); Pike County, AL (78.4).

  • 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 Serious 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). Barbour County's score of 72.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Barbour 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 Barbour County?

    Barbour County, Alabama has a population of approximately 24,585 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.