Monroe County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.3 | 19,229 people · 32nd most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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

Monroe County, AL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.3 — 625th 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 32nd of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Monroe 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 84.8
Debt in Collections 88
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 94
Structural Poverty 76.8
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 87
Disability Rate 59
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Housing Cost Burden 24.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 21
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 12
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 9
Homeownership Rate 70
Economic Vitality 23.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 27
Business Formation Rate 32
House Price Change (YoY) 94

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Monroe County
Monroe County, AL 65.3 Serious —
Wilcox County, AL 74.6 Serious +9.3
Butler County, AL 72.9 Serious +7.6
Conecuh County, AL 69.7 Serious +4.4
Escambia County, AL 69.6 Serious +4.3
Clarke County, AL 63.3 Elevated -2.1
Baldwin County, AL 52.8 Elevated -12.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Monroe County
Putnam County, GA 65.3 Serious -0.0
Stone County, MS 65.3 Serious -0.0
Haskell County, OK 65.3 Serious -0.0
Carter County, KY 65.4 Serious +0.1
Monroe County, MS 65.4 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County, Alabama?

    Monroe County has a County Distress Index score of 65.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 625th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Monroe County?

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

    Monroe County (65.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wilcox County, AL (74.6); Butler County, AL (72.9); Conecuh County, AL (69.7).

  • 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). Monroe County's score of 65.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Monroe 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 Monroe County?

    Monroe County, Alabama has a population of approximately 19,229 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.