Covington County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.2 | 37,952 people · 28th most distressed in Alabama
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Covington County, AL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.2 — 537th 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 28th of 67 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 8 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Covington 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 83.8
Debt in Collections 82
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 94
Credit Card Delinquency 94
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 80
Structural Poverty 65.8
Unemployment Rate 4
Poverty Rate 71
Income vs. State Median 62
Child Poverty Rate 71
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 86
Housing Cost Burden 39.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 45
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 39
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 43
Economic Vitality 25.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 7
Rent-to-Income Ratio 24
Business Formation Rate 67
House Price Change (YoY) 51

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Covington County
Covington County, AL 67.2 Serious —
Butler County, AL 72.9 Serious +5.8
Conecuh County, AL 69.7 Serious +2.6
Escambia County, AL 69.6 Serious +2.4
Geneva County, AL 69.2 Serious +2.1
Crenshaw County, AL 66.3 Serious -0.8
Coffee County, AL 56.3 Elevated -10.9
Okaloosa County, FL 54.6 Elevated -12.5
Walton County, FL 52.5 Elevated -14.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Covington County
De Soto Parish, LA 67.2 Serious +0.0
Calhoun County, MS 67.1 Serious -0.0
Mingo County, WV 67.1 Serious -0.0
Barren County, KY 67.1 Serious -0.1
Murray County, GA 67.2 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Covington 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 Covington 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 Covington County, Alabama?

    Covington County has a County Distress Index score of 67.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 537th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Covington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Covington 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 Covington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Covington County (67.2) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Butler County, AL (72.9); Conecuh County, AL (69.7); Escambia County, AL (69.6).

  • 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 Serious 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). Covington County's score of 67.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Covington 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 Covington County?

    Covington County, Alabama has a population of approximately 37,952 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.