Elmore County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.8 | 90,441 people · 56th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Elmore County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.8 — 1219th 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 56th 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. Elmore 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 61.5
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 48
Auto Loan Delinquency 71
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 46
Subprime Credit Population 73
Housing Cost Burden 53.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 36
Economic Vitality 37.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 9
Business Formation Rate 49
House Price Change (YoY) 17
Structural Poverty 29.5
Unemployment Rate 1
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 45
Disability Rate 46
Transfer Income Dependency 38

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Elmore County
Elmore County, AL 55.8 Elevated —
Montgomery County, AL 76.3 Serious +20.5
Macon County, AL 75.5 Serious +19.7
Chilton County, AL 61.3 Elevated +5.5
Coosa County, AL 59.2 Elevated +3.4
Tallapoosa County, AL 52.7 Elevated -3.1
Autauga County, AL 52.5 Elevated -3.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Elmore County
DeKalb County, IL 55.8 Elevated -0.0
Greene County, TN 55.8 Elevated +0.0
Tippecanoe County, IN 55.8 Elevated -0.0
Linn County, OR 55.9 Elevated +0.1
Coos County, OR 55.7 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Elmore 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

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Legal aid organizations serving Elmore 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 Elmore County, Alabama?

    Elmore County has a County Distress Index score of 55.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,219th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Elmore County?

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

    Elmore County (55.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Montgomery County, AL (76.3); Macon County, AL (75.5); Chilton County, AL (61.3).

  • 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). Elmore County's score of 55.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Elmore 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 Elmore County?

    Elmore County, Alabama has a population of approximately 90,441 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.