Tallapoosa County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.7 | 40,677 people · 62nd most distressed in Alabama
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Tallapoosa County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.7 — 1420th 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 62nd of 67 counties. It scores lower 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. Tallapoosa 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 63.6
Debt in Collections 68
Medical Debt 42
Auto Loan Delinquency 64
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Uninsured Rate 57
Subprime Credit Population 82
Structural Poverty 53.6
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Housing Cost Burden 27.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 34
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 44
Economic Vitality 18.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 31
House Price Change (YoY) 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Tallapoosa County
Tallapoosa County, AL 52.7 Elevated —
Macon County, AL 75.5 Serious +22.8
Chambers County, AL 68.5 Serious +15.8
Randolph County, AL 66.1 Serious +13.4
Lee County, AL 63.4 Elevated +10.7
Coosa County, AL 59.2 Elevated +6.5
Clay County, AL 58.9 Elevated +6.2
Elmore County, AL 55.8 Elevated +3.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Tallapoosa County
Cannon County, TN 52.7 Elevated -0.0
Russell County, VA 52.8 Elevated +0.1
Morgan County, GA 52.6 Elevated -0.1
Douglas County, MO 52.8 Elevated +0.1
Marshall County, WV 52.8 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Tallapoosa 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 Tallapoosa 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 Tallapoosa County, Alabama?

    Tallapoosa County has a County Distress Index score of 52.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,420th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 62nd in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Tallapoosa County?

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

    Tallapoosa County (52.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Macon County, AL (75.5); Chambers County, AL (68.5); Randolph County, AL (66.1).

  • 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). Tallapoosa County's score of 52.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Tallapoosa 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 Tallapoosa County?

    Tallapoosa County, Alabama has a population of approximately 40,677 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.