Calhoun County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.5 | 116,429 people · 11th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Calhoun County, AL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.5 — 209th 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 11th of 67 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Calhoun County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 89.3 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 89.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 89
Consumer Credit Distress 86.0
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 86
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 86
Structural Poverty 66.7
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 86
Income vs. State Median 54
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 76
Housing Cost Burden 63.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 72
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 69
Economic Vitality 42.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 61
Business Formation Rate 59
House Price Change (YoY) 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Calhoun County
Calhoun County, AL 74.5 Serious —
Etowah County, AL 73.5 Serious -1.0
Talladega County, AL 68.0 Serious -6.4
Cherokee County, AL 56.6 Elevated -17.9
Cleburne County, AL 54.7 Elevated -19.8
St. Clair County, AL 52.2 Elevated -22.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Calhoun County
Bulloch County, GA 74.4 Serious -0.1
Forrest County, MS 74.6 Serious +0.1
Bowie County, TX 74.3 Serious -0.2
Oktibbeha County, MS 74.6 Serious +0.2
Potter County, TX 74.7 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Calhoun County has a County Distress Index score of 74.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 209th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Calhoun County?

    The primary driver of distress in Calhoun County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 89.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Calhoun County compare to neighboring counties?

    Calhoun County (74.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Etowah County, AL (73.5); Talladega County, AL (68.0); Cherokee County, AL (56.6).

  • 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 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). Calhoun County's score of 74.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Calhoun 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 Calhoun County?

    Calhoun County, Alabama has a population of approximately 116,429 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.