Pinal County, Arizona

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.9 | 484,239 people · 7th most distressed in Arizona
American Default Research

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Pinal County, AZ registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.9 — 774th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Arizona, it ranks 7th of 15 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Pinal County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 83.5 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 83.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Economic Vitality 81.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 28
House Price Change (YoY) 80
Consumer Credit Distress 69.3
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 71
Housing Cost Burden 50.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 17
Structural Poverty 37.4
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 36
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 21
Disability Rate 58
Transfer Income Dependency 46

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pinal County
Pinal County, AZ 62.9 Elevated —
Gila County, AZ 64.7 Elevated +1.8
Pima County, AZ 61.5 Elevated -1.4
Maricopa County, AZ 60.7 Elevated -2.2
Graham County, AZ 50.0 Normal -13.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pinal County
Seminole County, FL 63.1 Elevated +0.2
Baltimore County, MD 62.6 Elevated -0.3
Berkeley County, SC 63.5 Elevated +0.6
Guilford County, NC 63.6 Elevated +0.6
Horry County, SC 62.1 Elevated -0.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pinal County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Arizona — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Arizona — Lawyer Referral Service 602-252-4804

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Pinal County residents at no cost.

Community Legal Services (CLS) — Central and Northern Arizona 602-258-3434
Southern Arizona Legal Aid (SALA) 520-623-9465
DNA People's Legal Services 928-871-4151
Three Rivers Legal Services 602-258-3434
Community Legal Services, Inc. (800) 852-9075

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Pinal County, Arizona?

    Pinal County has a County Distress Index score of 62.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 774th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Arizona out of 15 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pinal County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pinal County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 83.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Pinal County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pinal County (62.9) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Gila County, AZ (64.7); Pima County, AZ (61.5); Maricopa County, AZ (60.7).

  • 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). Pinal County's score of 62.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Pinal 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 Pinal County?

    Pinal County, Arizona has a population of approximately 484,239 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.