Clay County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.9 | 14,111 people · 45th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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

Clay County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.9 — 1022nd 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 45th of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clay County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 88.4 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 88.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 88
Consumer Credit Distress 76.1
Debt in Collections 75
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Uninsured Rate 53
Subprime Credit Population 83
Structural Poverty 63.9
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 82
Economic Vitality 26.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 13
Rent-to-Income Ratio 18
Business Formation Rate 86
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 22.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 11
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 31
Homeownership Rate 31

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Clay County, AL 58.9 Elevated —
Talladega County, AL 68.0 Serious +9.1
Randolph County, AL 66.1 Serious +7.2
Coosa County, AL 59.2 Elevated +0.3
Cleburne County, AL 54.7 Elevated -4.3
Tallapoosa County, AL 52.7 Elevated -6.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Iberville Parish, LA 58.9 Elevated 0.0
Lake County, MI 58.9 Elevated -0.0
Wayne County, TN 58.9 Elevated -0.1
Grant County, KY 59.0 Elevated +0.1
Perry County, OH 58.8 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay County, Alabama?

    Clay County has a County Distress Index score of 58.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,022nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clay County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clay County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 88.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Clay County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clay County (58.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Talladega County, AL (68.0); Randolph County, AL (66.1); Coosa County, AL (59.2).

  • 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). Clay County's score of 58.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Clay 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 Clay County?

    Clay County, Alabama has a population of approximately 14,111 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.