Etowah County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.5 | 103,241 people · 12th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Etowah County, AL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.5 — 249th 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 12th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Etowah County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 87.9 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 87.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 88
Consumer Credit Distress 81.5
Debt in Collections 82
Medical Debt 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 78
Housing Cost Burden 68.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 74
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 28
Homeownership Rate 53
Structural Poverty 63.8
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 67
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Economic Vitality 47.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 57
House Price Change (YoY) 53

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Etowah County
Etowah County, AL 73.5 Serious —
Calhoun County, AL 74.5 Serious +1.0
Blount County, AL 58.2 Elevated -15.3
DeKalb County, AL 57.7 Elevated -15.8
Marshall County, AL 57.6 Elevated -15.9
Cherokee County, AL 56.6 Elevated -16.9
St. Clair County, AL 52.2 Elevated -21.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Etowah County
Clarke County, GA 73.6 Serious +0.1
Walker County, GA 73.4 Serious -0.1
Henderson County, TX 73.6 Serious +0.1
Hunt County, TX 73.6 Serious +0.2
Kaufman County, TX 73.8 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Etowah 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 Etowah 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 Etowah County, Alabama?

    Etowah County has a County Distress Index score of 73.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 249th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Etowah County?

    The primary driver of distress in Etowah County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 87.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Etowah County compare to neighboring counties?

    Etowah County (73.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Calhoun County, AL (74.5); Blount County, AL (58.2); DeKalb County, AL (57.7).

  • 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 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). Etowah County's score of 73.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Etowah 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 Etowah County?

    Etowah County, Alabama has a population of approximately 103,241 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.