Pickens County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.6 | 18,688 people · 23rd most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Pickens County, AL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.6 — 411th 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 23rd 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. Pickens 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 81.4
Debt in Collections 82
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Uninsured Rate 57
Subprime Credit Population 86
Structural Poverty 77.4
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 90
Income vs. State Median 73
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 86
Housing Cost Burden 50.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 48
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 45
Economic Vitality 23.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 35
Business Formation Rate 63
House Price Change (YoY) 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pickens County
Pickens County, AL 69.6 Serious —
Noxubee County, MS 83.5 Crisis +13.8
Sumter County, AL 76.7 Serious +7.1
Greene County, AL 72.9 Serious +3.3
Tuscaloosa County, AL 72.1 Serious +2.5
Lowndes County, MS 67.3 Serious -2.3
Fayette County, AL 61.9 Elevated -7.7
Lamar County, AL 60.5 Elevated -9.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pickens County
Escambia County, AL 69.6 Serious -0.0
Emanuel County, GA 69.6 Serious +0.0
Glades County, FL 69.7 Serious +0.0
Toombs County, GA 69.7 Serious +0.1
Little River County, AR 69.7 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pickens 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 Pickens 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 Pickens County, Alabama?

    Pickens County has a County Distress Index score of 69.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 411th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 23rd in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pickens County?

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

    Pickens County (69.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Noxubee County, MS (83.5); Sumter County, AL (76.7); Greene County, AL (72.9).

  • 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). Pickens County's score of 69.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Pickens 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 Pickens County?

    Pickens County, Alabama has a population of approximately 18,688 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.