Marshall County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.6 | 100,756 people · 50th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Marshall County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.6 — 1110th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Alabama, it ranks 50th of 67 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Marshall County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 76.3 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 76.3
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 67
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 70
Legal Distress 70.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 70
Structural Poverty 40.5
Unemployment Rate 1
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 23
Child Poverty Rate 67
Disability Rate 38
Transfer Income Dependency 45
Housing Cost Burden 38.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 44
Economic Vitality 22.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 6
Rent-to-Income Ratio 4
Business Formation Rate 68
House Price Change (YoY) 75

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marshall County
Marshall County, AL 57.6 Elevated —
Etowah County, AL 73.5 Serious +15.9
Morgan County, AL 58.3 Elevated +0.7
Blount County, AL 58.2 Elevated +0.6
DeKalb County, AL 57.7 Elevated +0.1
Cullman County, AL 56.0 Elevated -1.6
Jackson County, AL 55.1 Elevated -2.5
Madison County, AL 52.3 Elevated -5.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marshall County
Sutter County, CA 57.6 Elevated 0.0
Caldwell County, NC 57.6 Elevated -0.0
Cochise County, AZ 57.6 Elevated +0.0
DeKalb County, AL 57.7 Elevated +0.1
Lamar County, MS 57.5 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Marshall County

Find an Attorney

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 Marshall County residents at no cost.

Legal Services Alabama 1-866-456-4995
Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-392-5660

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Alabama →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Marshall County has a County Distress Index score of 57.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,110th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 50th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marshall County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marshall County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 76.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Marshall County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marshall County (57.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Etowah County, AL (73.5); Morgan County, AL (58.3); Blount County, AL (58.2).

  • 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 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). Marshall County's score of 57.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Marshall 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 Marshall County?

    Marshall County, Alabama has a population of approximately 100,756 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.