Winston County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.8 | 23,611 people · 57th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Winston County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.8 — 1223rd 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 57th of 67 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Winston County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 89.2 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 89.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 89
Consumer Credit Distress 68.9
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 67
Structural Poverty 63.8
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 71
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 77
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 77
Economic Vitality 26.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 3
Rent-to-Income Ratio 18
Business Formation Rate 75
House Price Change (YoY) 74
Housing Cost Burden 24.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 38

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Winston County
Winston County, AL 55.8 Elevated —
Marion County, AL 63.6 Elevated +7.9
Walker County, AL 62.6 Elevated +6.9
Franklin County, AL 59.1 Elevated +3.3
Cullman County, AL 56.0 Elevated +0.2
Lawrence County, AL 54.9 Elevated -0.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Winston County
Montgomery County, KY 55.8 Elevated +0.0
McDonald County, MO 55.8 Elevated +0.0
Prince George County, VA 55.8 Elevated +0.0
Fentress County, TN 55.8 Elevated +0.1
Lewis County, KY 55.7 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

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Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-392-5660

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Winston County has a County Distress Index score of 55.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,223rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 57th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Winston County?

    The primary driver of distress in Winston County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 89.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Winston County compare to neighboring counties?

    Winston County (55.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Marion County, AL (63.6); Walker County, AL (62.6); Franklin County, AL (59.1).

  • 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). Winston County's score of 55.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Winston 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 Winston County?

    Winston County, Alabama has a population of approximately 23,611 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.