Talladega County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.0 | 81,132 people · 27th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Talladega County, AL shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.0 — 490th 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 27th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Talladega County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.8 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 87.8
Debt in Collections 94
Medical Debt 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 53
Subprime Credit Population 93
Structural Poverty 57.8
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 78
Housing Cost Burden 42.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 31
Homeownership Rate 59
Economic Vitality 20.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 1
Rent-to-Income Ratio 8
Business Formation Rate 60
House Price Change (YoY) 81

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Talladega County
Talladega County, AL 68.0 Serious —
Calhoun County, AL 74.5 Serious +6.4
Coosa County, AL 59.2 Elevated -8.8
Clay County, AL 58.9 Elevated -9.1
Cleburne County, AL 54.7 Elevated -13.4
St. Clair County, AL 52.2 Elevated -15.8
Shelby County, AL 46.6 Normal -21.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Talladega County
Barrow County, GA 68.1 Serious +0.0
Lake County, CA 68.0 Serious -0.1
Cabell County, WV 68.2 Serious +0.1
Chaves County, NM 67.9 Serious -0.1
Columbus County, NC 67.9 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Talladega 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 Talladega County residents at no cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Talladega County has a County Distress Index score of 68.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 490th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Talladega County?

    The primary driver of distress in Talladega County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Talladega County compare to neighboring counties?

    Talladega County (68.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Calhoun County, AL (74.5); Coosa County, AL (59.2); Clay County, AL (58.9).

  • 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). Talladega County's score of 68.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Talladega 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 Talladega County?

    Talladega County, Alabama has a population of approximately 81,132 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.