Clarke County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.3 | 22,337 people · 36th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Clarke County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.3 — 759th 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 36th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clarke County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 94.2 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 94.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Consumer Credit Distress 75.7
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 40
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 76
Uninsured Rate 51
Subprime Credit Population 96
Structural Poverty 75.6
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 81
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Housing Cost Burden 36.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 38
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 67
Economic Vitality 21.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 4
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 28
House Price Change (YoY) 93

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clarke County
Clarke County, AL 63.3 Elevated —
Wilcox County, AL 74.6 Serious +11.4
Marengo County, AL 72.0 Serious +8.7
Choctaw County, AL 66.2 Serious +2.9
Monroe County, AL 65.3 Serious +2.1
Washington County, AL 56.5 Elevated -6.7
Baldwin County, AL 52.8 Elevated -10.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clarke County
Gray County, TX 63.2 Elevated -0.0
Knott County, KY 63.3 Elevated +0.1
Hughes County, OK 63.2 Elevated -0.1
Roosevelt County, NM 63.2 Elevated -0.1
Clay County, AR 63.2 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clarke 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 Clarke 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 Clarke County, Alabama?

    Clarke County has a County Distress Index score of 63.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 759th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clarke County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clarke County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 94.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Clarke County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clarke County (63.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wilcox County, AL (74.6); Marengo County, AL (72.0); Choctaw County, AL (66.2).

  • 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). Clarke County's score of 63.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Clarke 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 Clarke County?

    Clarke County, Alabama has a population of approximately 22,337 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.