Cleburne County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.7 | 15,639 people · 60th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Cleburne County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.7 — 1295th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Alabama, it ranks 60th of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cleburne County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 75.5 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 75.5
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Uninsured Rate 60
Subprime Credit Population 81
Legal Distress 67.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 68
Structural Poverty 50.5
Unemployment Rate 5
Poverty Rate 67
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 68
Disability Rate 84
Transfer Income Dependency 58
Economic Vitality 28.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 6
Rent-to-Income Ratio 15
Business Formation Rate 78
House Price Change (YoY) 87
Housing Cost Burden 19.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 28
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 13
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cleburne County
Cleburne County, AL 54.7 Elevated —
Polk County, GA 80.3 Crisis +25.6
Carroll County, GA 76.9 Serious +22.3
Calhoun County, AL 74.5 Serious +19.8
Talladega County, AL 68.0 Serious +13.4
Randolph County, AL 66.1 Serious +11.5
Haralson County, GA 65.0 Elevated +10.3
Clay County, AL 58.9 Elevated +4.3
Cherokee County, AL 56.6 Elevated +1.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cleburne County
Ohio County, KY 54.7 Elevated +0.0
Phelps County, MO 54.7 Elevated +0.0
Greenbrier County, WV 54.6 Elevated -0.1
Murray County, OK 54.6 Elevated -0.1
Grayson County, VA 54.6 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cleburne 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Cleburne County has a County Distress Index score of 54.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,295th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 60th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cleburne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cleburne County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 75.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Cleburne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cleburne County (54.7) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Polk County, GA (80.3); Carroll County, GA (76.9); 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). Cleburne County's score of 54.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Cleburne 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 Cleburne County?

    Cleburne County, Alabama has a population of approximately 15,639 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.