Bradley County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.4 | 10,104 people · 20th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Bradley County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.4 — 295th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Arkansas, it ranks 20th of 75 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bradley County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 90.0 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 90.0
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 77
Subprime Credit Population 84
Structural Poverty 86.9
Unemployment Rate 92
Poverty Rate 93
Income vs. State Median 78
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Legal Distress 74.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 74
Economic Vitality 60.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 65
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 30.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 33
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 80

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bradley County
Bradley County, AR 72.4 Serious —
Ashley County, AR 73.7 Serious +1.3
Drew County, AR 72.6 Serious +0.2
Union County, AR 70.7 Serious -1.8
Cleveland County, AR 63.5 Elevated -9.0
Calhoun County, AR 46.0 Normal -26.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bradley County
Warren County, NC 72.4 Serious 0.0
Candler County, GA 72.5 Serious +0.0
Johnson County, KY 72.5 Serious +0.0
Clark County, AR 72.4 Serious -0.1
Hale County, TX 72.3 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bradley 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 Bradley 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 Bradley County, Arkansas?

    Bradley County has a County Distress Index score of 72.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 295th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bradley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bradley County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 90.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Bradley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bradley County (72.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Ashley County, AR (73.7); Drew County, AR (72.6); Union County, AR (70.7).

  • 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 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). Bradley County's score of 72.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Bradley 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 Bradley County?

    Bradley County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 10,104 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.