St. Clair County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.2 | 95,552 people · 65th most distressed in Alabama
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St. Clair County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.2 — 1439th 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 65th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Clair County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 94.4 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 94.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Consumer Credit Distress 64.0
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 63
Auto Loan Delinquency 68
Credit Card Delinquency 62
Uninsured Rate 43
Subprime Credit Population 73
Economic Vitality 61.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 32
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 83
Structural Poverty 26.6
Unemployment Rate 1
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 32
Disability Rate 49
Transfer Income Dependency 44
Housing Cost Burden 24.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 20
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Clair County
St. Clair County, AL 52.2 Elevated —
Calhoun County, AL 74.5 Serious +22.3
Etowah County, AL 73.5 Serious +21.3
Jefferson County, AL 72.2 Serious +20.0
Talladega County, AL 68.0 Serious +15.8
Blount County, AL 58.2 Elevated +6.0
Shelby County, AL 46.6 Normal -5.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Clair County
New Hanover County, NC 52.3 Elevated +0.1
Fayette County, GA 52.1 Elevated -0.1
Bannock County, ID 52.1 Elevated -0.1
Rock Island County, IL 52.0 Elevated -0.2
Autauga County, AL 52.5 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for St. Clair County as a CSV file.

Find Help in St. Clair 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 St. Clair 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 St. Clair County, Alabama?

    St. Clair County has a County Distress Index score of 52.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,439th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 65th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Clair County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Clair County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 94.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does St. Clair County compare to neighboring counties?

    St. Clair County (52.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Calhoun County, AL (74.5); Etowah County, AL (73.5); Jefferson County, AL (72.2).

  • 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). St. Clair County's score of 52.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power St. Clair County's CDI score?

    St. Clair 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 St. Clair County?

    St. Clair County, Alabama has a population of approximately 95,552 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.