Coffee County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.3 | 55,643 people · 54th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Coffee County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.3 — 1185th 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 54th of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Coffee County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 98.8 — worse than roughly 99% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 98.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 61.3
Debt in Collections 64
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 68
Subprime Credit Population 67
Housing Cost Burden 48.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 73
Structural Poverty 43.3
Unemployment Rate 1
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 14
Child Poverty Rate 65
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 47
Economic Vitality 35.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 42
Rent-to-Income Ratio 14
Business Formation Rate 52
House Price Change (YoY) 33

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Coffee County
Coffee County, AL 56.3 Elevated —
Pike County, AL 78.4 Serious +22.1
Geneva County, AL 69.2 Serious +13.0
Covington County, AL 67.2 Serious +10.9
Crenshaw County, AL 66.3 Serious +10.1
Dale County, AL 62.4 Elevated +6.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Coffee County
Cecil County, MD 56.3 Elevated -0.0
Belmont County, OH 56.3 Elevated +0.0
Sullivan County, NY 56.3 Elevated +0.0
Carbon County, PA 56.2 Elevated -0.1
Lonoke County, AR 56.1 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

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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 Coffee County, Alabama?

    Coffee County has a County Distress Index score of 56.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,185th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Coffee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Coffee County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 98.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Coffee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Coffee County (56.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Pike County, AL (78.4); Geneva County, AL (69.2); Covington County, AL (67.2).

  • 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). Coffee County's score of 56.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Coffee 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 Coffee County?

    Coffee County, Alabama has a population of approximately 55,643 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.