Dallas County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Crisis · 84.6 | 36,165 people · 2nd most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Dallas County, AL ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 84.6 — 22nd 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 2nd of 67 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dallas 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 91.7
Debt in Collections 97
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 99
Credit Card Delinquency 97
Uninsured Rate 60
Subprime Credit Population 99
Structural Poverty 87.4
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 99
Income vs. State Median 96
Child Poverty Rate 99
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 93
Housing Cost Burden 83.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 91
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 92
Economic Vitality 36.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 9
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 85

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dallas County
Dallas County, AL 84.6 Crisis —
Wilcox County, AL 74.6 Serious -9.9
Marengo County, AL 72.0 Serious -12.6
Lowndes County, AL 70.7 Serious -13.8
Perry County, AL 70.7 Serious -13.9
Chilton County, AL 61.3 Elevated -23.3
Autauga County, AL 52.5 Elevated -32.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dallas County
Gadsden County, FL 84.5 Crisis -0.0
Bolivar County, MS 84.7 Crisis +0.1
Leflore County, MS 84.7 Crisis +0.1
Yazoo County, MS 84.8 Crisis +0.2
Baldwin County, GA 85.4 Crisis +0.8

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Dallas County has a County Distress Index score of 84.6 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 22nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dallas County?

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

    Dallas County (84.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wilcox County, AL (74.6); Marengo County, AL (72.0); Lowndes County, AL (70.7).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Dallas County's score of 84.6 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Dallas 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 Dallas County?

    Dallas County, Alabama has a population of approximately 36,165 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.