Russell County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Crisis · 86.5 | 58,744 people · 1st most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Russell County, AL ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 86.5 — 9th 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 1st of 67 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Russell County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 98.8 — worse than roughly 99% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 98.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 94.5
Debt in Collections 99
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 99
Housing Cost Burden 85.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 68
Homeownership Rate 92
Structural Poverty 67.1
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 80
Transfer Income Dependency 84
Economic Vitality 67.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 95

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Russell County
Russell County, AL 86.5 Crisis —
Bullock County, AL 82.5 Crisis -4.0
Muscogee County, GA 82.1 Crisis -4.4
Macon County, AL 75.5 Serious -11.0
Barbour County, AL 72.1 Serious -14.4
Stewart County, GA 66.9 Serious -19.6
Lee County, AL 63.4 Elevated -23.1
Chattahoochee County, GA 58.1 Elevated -28.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Russell County
Dougherty County, GA 87.3 Crisis +0.8
Spalding County, GA 85.1 Crisis -1.3
Rockdale County, GA 84.4 Crisis -2.1
Bibb County, GA 88.7 Crisis +2.2
Richmond County, GA 89.2 Crisis +2.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Russell 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 Russell County residents at no cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Russell County has a County Distress Index score of 86.5 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 9th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Russell County?

    The primary driver of distress in Russell County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 98.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Russell County compare to neighboring counties?

    Russell County (86.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Bullock County, AL (82.5); Muscogee County, GA (82.1); Macon County, AL (75.5).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Russell County's score of 86.5 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Russell 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 Russell County?

    Russell County, Alabama has a population of approximately 58,744 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.