Cherokee County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.6 | 25,666 people · 51st most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Cherokee County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.6 — 1167th 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 51st of 67 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cherokee County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 86.2 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 86.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Consumer Credit Distress 77.8
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 91
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 58
Subprime Credit Population 72
Structural Poverty 55.6
Unemployment Rate 3
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 33
Child Poverty Rate 63
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Economic Vitality 37.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 76
House Price Change (YoY) 70
Housing Cost Burden 10.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 1
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cherokee County
Cherokee County, AL 56.6 Elevated —
Polk County, GA 80.3 Crisis +23.7
Floyd County, GA 77.0 Serious +20.4
Calhoun County, AL 74.5 Serious +17.9
Chattooga County, GA 73.5 Serious +16.9
Etowah County, AL 73.5 Serious +16.9
DeKalb County, AL 57.7 Elevated +1.1
Cleburne County, AL 54.7 Elevated -1.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cherokee County
Washington County, KY 56.6 Elevated -0.0
White County, TN 56.6 Elevated +0.0
Washington County, AL 56.5 Elevated -0.1
Metcalfe County, KY 56.6 Elevated +0.1
Plaquemines Parish, LA 56.7 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cherokee 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 Cherokee 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 Cherokee County, Alabama?

    Cherokee County has a County Distress Index score of 56.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,167th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 51st in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cherokee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cherokee County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 86.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Cherokee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cherokee County (56.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Polk County, GA (80.3); Floyd County, GA (77.0); Calhoun County, AL (74.5).

  • 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). Cherokee County's score of 56.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Cherokee 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 Cherokee County?

    Cherokee County, Alabama has a population of approximately 25,666 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.