Ashley County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.7 | 18,262 people · 14th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Ashley County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.7 — 237th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Arkansas, it ranks 14th of 75 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ashley County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 90.5 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 90.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 91
Consumer Credit Distress 83.0
Debt in Collections 89
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 82
Structural Poverty 81.0
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Housing Cost Burden 59.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 75
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 36
Homeownership Rate 61
Economic Vitality 36.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 14
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Business Formation Rate 60
House Price Change (YoY) 61

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ashley County
Ashley County, AR 73.7 Serious —
Morehouse Parish, LA 82.1 Crisis +8.4
Chicot County, AR 76.1 Serious +2.4
Drew County, AR 72.6 Serious -1.1
Bradley County, AR 72.4 Serious -1.3
Union County, AR 70.7 Serious -3.0
Union Parish, LA 61.4 Elevated -12.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ashley County
Greene County, NC 73.6 Serious -0.1
Somerset County, MD 73.8 Serious +0.1
Warren County, MS 73.8 Serious +0.1
Greensville County, VA 73.6 Serious -0.1
Chattooga County, GA 73.5 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ashley County

Find an Attorney

Arkansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Arkansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral 1-800-609-5668

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Ashley County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of Arkansas 1-800-950-5817
Center for Arkansas Legal Services 1-800-950-5817

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 Ashley County, Arkansas?

    Ashley County has a County Distress Index score of 73.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 237th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 14th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ashley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ashley County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 90.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Ashley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ashley County (73.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Morehouse Parish, LA (82.1); Chicot County, AR (76.1); Drew County, AR (72.6).

  • 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). Ashley County's score of 73.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Ashley 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 Ashley County?

    Ashley County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 18,262 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.