Shelby County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.6 | 233,000 people · 66th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Shelby County, AL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.6 — 1807th 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 66th of 67 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Shelby County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 89.4 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 89.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 89
Housing Cost Burden 65.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 78
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 13
Consumer Credit Distress 46.7
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 46
Uninsured Rate 37
Subprime Credit Population 45
Economic Vitality 25.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 10
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 46
Structural Poverty 6.4
Unemployment Rate 1
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 9
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Shelby County
Shelby County, AL 46.6 Normal —
Bibb County, AL 75.0 Serious +28.4
Jefferson County, AL 72.2 Serious +25.6
Talladega County, AL 68.0 Serious +21.5
Chilton County, AL 61.3 Elevated +14.7
Coosa County, AL 59.2 Elevated +12.6
St. Clair County, AL 52.2 Elevated +5.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Shelby County
Beaver County, PA 46.5 Normal -0.0
Kosciusko County, IN 46.5 Normal -0.0
Yellowstone County, MT 46.7 Normal +0.1
Johnson County, IN 46.7 Normal +0.1
Sandusky County, OH 46.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Shelby 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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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Shelby County has a County Distress Index score of 46.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,807th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 66th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Shelby County?

    The primary driver of distress in Shelby County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 89.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Shelby County compare to neighboring counties?

    Shelby County (46.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Bibb County, AL (75.0); Jefferson County, AL (72.2); Talladega County, AL (68.0).

  • 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 Normal 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). Shelby County's score of 46.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Shelby 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 Shelby County?

    Shelby County, Alabama has a population of approximately 233,000 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.