Escambia County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.6 | 36,558 people · 24th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Escambia County, AL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.6 — 412th 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 24th of 67 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Escambia County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.8 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 85.9
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 73
Subprime Credit Population 87
Structural Poverty 71.7
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 61
Child Poverty Rate 89
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Housing Cost Burden 48.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 38
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 75
Economic Vitality 12.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 3
Rent-to-Income Ratio 24
Business Formation Rate 21
House Price Change (YoY) 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Escambia County
Escambia County, AL 69.6 Serious —
Escambia County, FL 73.6 Serious +4.0
Conecuh County, AL 69.7 Serious +0.1
Covington County, AL 67.2 Serious -2.4
Monroe County, AL 65.3 Serious -4.3
Okaloosa County, FL 54.6 Elevated -15.0
Baldwin County, AL 52.8 Elevated -16.8
Santa Rosa County, FL 47.0 Normal -22.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Escambia County
Pickens County, AL 69.6 Serious +0.0
Emanuel County, GA 69.6 Serious +0.0
Glades County, FL 69.7 Serious +0.1
Toombs County, GA 69.7 Serious +0.1
Little River County, AR 69.7 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Escambia 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 Escambia 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 Escambia County, Alabama?

    Escambia County has a County Distress Index score of 69.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 412th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Escambia County?

    The primary driver of distress in Escambia County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Escambia County compare to neighboring counties?

    Escambia County (69.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Escambia County, FL (73.6); Conecuh County, AL (69.7); Covington County, AL (67.2).

  • 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 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). Escambia County's score of 69.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Escambia 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 Escambia County?

    Escambia County, Alabama has a population of approximately 36,558 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.