Fayette County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.9 | 15,967 people · 40th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Fayette County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.9 — 831st 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 40th of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Fayette County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Structural Poverty 68.0
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Consumer Credit Distress 65.6
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 40
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 80
Housing Cost Burden 53.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 43
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 43
Homeownership Rate 28
Economic Vitality 27.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 12
Rent-to-Income Ratio 27
Business Formation Rate 76
House Price Change (YoY) 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fayette County
Fayette County, AL 61.9 Elevated —
Tuscaloosa County, AL 72.1 Serious +10.2
Pickens County, AL 69.6 Serious +7.7
Marion County, AL 63.6 Elevated +1.7
Walker County, AL 62.6 Elevated +0.7
Lamar County, AL 60.5 Elevated -1.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fayette County
Mecklenburg County, VA 61.9 Elevated +0.0
Perry County, MS 62.0 Elevated +0.1
Hot Spring County, AR 62.0 Elevated +0.1
Jackson County, TX 62.0 Elevated +0.1
Otero County, CO 61.8 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fayette 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 Fayette County residents at no cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Fayette County has a County Distress Index score of 61.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 831st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fayette County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fayette County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Fayette County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fayette County (61.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Tuscaloosa County, AL (72.1); Pickens County, AL (69.6); Marion County, AL (63.6).

  • 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). Fayette County's score of 61.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Fayette 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 Fayette County?

    Fayette County, Alabama has a population of approximately 15,967 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.