Chilton County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.3 | 46,431 people · 41st most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Chilton County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.3 — 864th 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 41st of 67 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Chilton County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.7 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 78.4
Debt in Collections 75
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 85
Economic Vitality 50.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 36
Business Formation Rate 66
House Price Change (YoY) 92
Structural Poverty 47.0
Unemployment Rate 1
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 67
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 52
Housing Cost Burden 26.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Chilton County
Chilton County, AL 61.3 Elevated —
Dallas County, AL 84.6 Crisis +23.3
Bibb County, AL 75.0 Serious +13.7
Perry County, AL 70.7 Serious +9.4
Coosa County, AL 59.2 Elevated -2.1
Elmore County, AL 55.8 Elevated -5.5
Autauga County, AL 52.5 Elevated -8.8
Shelby County, AL 46.6 Normal -14.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Chilton County
Franklin County, IL 61.3 Elevated 0.0
Caswell County, NC 61.3 Elevated 0.0
Conway County, AR 61.3 Elevated -0.0
Summers County, WV 61.3 Elevated -0.0
Aransas County, TX 61.4 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chilton County

Find an Attorney

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 Chilton County residents at no cost.

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

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Alabama →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Chilton County has a County Distress Index score of 61.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 864th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chilton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chilton County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Chilton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chilton County (61.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Dallas County, AL (84.6); Bibb County, AL (75.0); Perry County, AL (70.7).

  • 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 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). Chilton County's score of 61.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Chilton 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 Chilton County?

    Chilton County, Alabama has a population of approximately 46,431 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.