Butler County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.9 | 18,382 people · 13th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Butler County, AL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.9 — 270th 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 13th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Butler County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 83.0
Debt in Collections 89
Medical Debt 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 84
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 94
Structural Poverty 72.4
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 84
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 56
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Housing Cost Burden 56.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 66
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 42
Homeownership Rate 76
Economic Vitality 45.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 58
House Price Change (YoY) 95

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Butler County
Butler County, AL 72.9 Serious —
Wilcox County, AL 74.6 Serious +1.7
Lowndes County, AL 70.7 Serious -2.2
Conecuh County, AL 69.7 Serious -3.2
Covington County, AL 67.2 Serious -5.8
Crenshaw County, AL 66.3 Serious -6.6
Monroe County, AL 65.3 Serious -7.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Butler County
Clay County, KY 73.0 Serious +0.0
Richland Parish, LA 73.0 Serious +0.0
Jackson County, AR 72.8 Serious -0.1
Bryan County, OK 72.8 Serious -0.1
Knox County, KY 72.8 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Butler 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 Butler County residents at no cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Butler County has a County Distress Index score of 72.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 270th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Butler County?

    The primary driver of distress in Butler County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Butler County compare to neighboring counties?

    Butler County (72.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wilcox County, AL (74.6); Lowndes County, AL (70.7); Conecuh County, AL (69.7).

  • 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). Butler County's score of 72.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Butler 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 Butler County?

    Butler County, Alabama has a population of approximately 18,382 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.