Macon County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Serious · 75.5 | 18,370 people · 8th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Macon County, AL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 75.5 — 166th 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 8th of 67 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Macon 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
Consumer Credit Distress 82.5
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 94
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 59
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 79.1
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 94
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 63
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Housing Cost Burden 67.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 24
Homeownership Rate 85
Economic Vitality 39.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 13
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 15
House Price Change (YoY) 51

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Macon County
Macon County, AL 75.5 Serious —
Russell County, AL 86.5 Crisis +11.0
Bullock County, AL 82.5 Crisis +7.0
Montgomery County, AL 76.3 Serious +0.8
Lee County, AL 63.4 Elevated -12.1
Elmore County, AL 55.8 Elevated -19.7
Tallapoosa County, AL 52.7 Elevated -22.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Macon County
Pulaski County, GA 75.5 Serious 0.0
Thomas County, GA 75.5 Serious 0.0
Brown County, TX 75.5 Serious -0.0
Calhoun County, FL 75.5 Serious -0.0
Peach County, GA 75.5 Serious -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Macon 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 Macon County residents at no cost.

Legal Services Alabama 1-866-456-4995
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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Macon County has a County Distress Index score of 75.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 166th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Macon County?

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

    Macon County (75.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Russell County, AL (86.5); Bullock County, AL (82.5); Montgomery County, AL (76.3).

  • 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 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). Macon County's score of 75.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Macon 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 Macon County?

    Macon County, Alabama has a population of approximately 18,370 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.