Marengo County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.0 | 18,684 people · 19th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Marengo County, AL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.0 — 316th 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 19th of 67 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Marengo County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 94.2 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 94.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Structural Poverty 77.8
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 93
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 94
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Consumer Credit Distress 77.7
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 46
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 59
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 95
Housing Cost Burden 68.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 50
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 74
Economic Vitality 24.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 19
House Price Change (YoY) 95

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marengo County
Marengo County, AL 72.0 Serious —
Dallas County, AL 84.6 Crisis +12.6
Sumter County, AL 76.7 Serious +4.8
Wilcox County, AL 74.6 Serious +2.7
Greene County, AL 72.9 Serious +0.9
Hale County, AL 72.1 Serious +0.2
Perry County, AL 70.7 Serious -1.3
Choctaw County, AL 66.2 Serious -5.8
Clarke County, AL 63.3 Elevated -8.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marengo County
Lee County, VA 72.0 Serious -0.0
Colonial Heights city, VA 72.0 Serious +0.0
McIntosh County, OK 71.9 Serious -0.0
Colquitt County, GA 71.9 Serious -0.1
Cibola County, NM 72.1 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Marengo 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 Marengo 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 Marengo County, Alabama?

    Marengo County has a County Distress Index score of 72.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 316th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 19th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marengo County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marengo County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 94.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Marengo County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marengo County (72.0) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Dallas County, AL (84.6); Sumter County, AL (76.7); Wilcox County, AL (74.6).

  • 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 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). Marengo County's score of 72.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Marengo 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 Marengo County?

    Marengo County, Alabama has a population of approximately 18,684 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.