Coosa County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.2 | 10,268 people · 43rd most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Coosa County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.2 — 1002nd 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 43rd of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Coosa County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 75.6
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 45
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 44
Subprime Credit Population 81
Structural Poverty 62.8
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 23
Child Poverty Rate 87
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Housing Cost Burden 26.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 13
Economic Vitality 19.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 85
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Coosa County
Coosa County, AL 59.2 Elevated —
Talladega County, AL 68.0 Serious +8.8
Chilton County, AL 61.3 Elevated +2.1
Clay County, AL 58.9 Elevated -0.3
Elmore County, AL 55.8 Elevated -3.4
Tallapoosa County, AL 52.7 Elevated -6.5
Shelby County, AL 46.6 Normal -12.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Coosa County
Fleming County, KY 59.2 Elevated -0.0
Jennings County, IN 59.2 Elevated -0.0
Rhea County, TN 59.2 Elevated -0.0
Izard County, AR 59.2 Elevated -0.0
Jasper County, SC 59.3 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Coosa 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 Coosa 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 Coosa County, Alabama?

    Coosa County has a County Distress Index score of 59.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,002nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 43rd in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Coosa County?

    The primary driver of distress in Coosa County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Coosa County compare to neighboring counties?

    Coosa County (59.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Talladega County, AL (68.0); Chilton County, AL (61.3); Clay County, AL (58.9).

  • 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). Coosa County's score of 59.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Coosa 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 Coosa County?

    Coosa County, Alabama has a population of approximately 10,268 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.