Dale County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.4 | 49,871 people · 39th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Dale County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.4 — 808th 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 39th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dale 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 76.4
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Uninsured Rate 70
Subprime Credit Population 85
Structural Poverty 57.7
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 71
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 71
Housing Cost Burden 40.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 91
Economic Vitality 22.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 1
Rent-to-Income Ratio 12
Business Formation Rate 57
House Price Change (YoY) 94

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dale County
Dale County, AL 62.4 Elevated —
Pike County, AL 78.4 Serious +16.0
Barbour County, AL 72.1 Serious +9.7
Geneva County, AL 69.2 Serious +6.8
Houston County, AL 65.3 Serious +2.9
Henry County, AL 57.9 Elevated -4.5
Coffee County, AL 56.3 Elevated -6.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dale County
DeKalb County, TN 62.4 Elevated 0.0
Hart County, GA 62.4 Elevated -0.0
Jones County, GA 62.4 Elevated +0.0
Del Norte County, CA 62.3 Elevated -0.1
Unicoi County, TN 62.3 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Dale 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 Dale County, Alabama?

    Dale County has a County Distress Index score of 62.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 808th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dale County?

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

    Dale County (62.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Pike County, AL (78.4); Barbour County, AL (72.1); Geneva County, AL (69.2).

  • 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). Dale County's score of 62.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Dale 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 Dale County?

    Dale County, Alabama has a population of approximately 49,871 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.