Baxter County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.2 | 42,875 people · 60th most distressed in Arkansas
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Baxter County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.2 — 1328th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Arkansas, it ranks 60th 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. Baxter County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 75.9 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.9
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 68
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 63
Disability Rate 97
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Housing Cost Burden 61.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 69
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 75
Homeownership Rate 47
Economic Vitality 52.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 61
Consumer Credit Distress 47.5
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 88
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 34
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 31
Legal Distress 38.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Baxter County
Baxter County, AR 54.2 Elevated —
Fulton County, AR 59.6 Elevated +5.4
Izard County, AR 59.2 Elevated +5.0
Stone County, AR 53.1 Elevated -1.1
Marion County, AR 47.6 Normal -6.6
Searcy County, AR 43.8 Normal -10.4
Ozark County, MO 42.1 Normal -12.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Baxter County
Dickenson County, VA 54.3 Elevated +0.0
Colfax County, NM 54.3 Elevated +0.1
Glenn County, CA 54.1 Elevated -0.1
Mecosta County, MI 54.3 Elevated +0.1
Bath County, KY 54.3 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Baxter 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 Baxter County residents at no cost.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Baxter County, Arkansas?

    Baxter County has a County Distress Index score of 54.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,328th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 60th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Baxter County?

    The primary driver of distress in Baxter County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Baxter County compare to neighboring counties?

    Baxter County (54.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Fulton County, AR (59.6); Izard County, AR (59.2); Stone County, AR (53.1).

  • 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). Baxter County's score of 54.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Baxter 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 Baxter County?

    Baxter County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 42,875 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.