Chicot County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.1 | 9,538 people · 9th most distressed in Arkansas
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Chicot County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.1 — 156th 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 9th of 75 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Chicot County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 94.1 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 94.1
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 92.6
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 94
Uninsured Rate 68
Subprime Credit Population 95
Legal Distress 87.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 88
Economic Vitality 54.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 34.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 17
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 79

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Chicot County
Chicot County, AR 76.1 Serious —
Washington County, MS 86.1 Crisis +10.1
Bolivar County, MS 84.7 Crisis +8.6
East Carroll Parish, LA 82.9 Crisis +6.9
Morehouse Parish, LA 82.1 Crisis +6.0
Desha County, AR 79.8 Serious +3.7
Ashley County, AR 73.7 Serious -2.4
Drew County, AR 72.6 Serious -3.5
Issaquena County, MS 63.8 Elevated -12.3
West Carroll Parish, LA 53.7 Elevated -22.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Chicot County
Franklin city, VA 76.2 Serious +0.1
Terrell County, GA 75.6 Serious -0.4
Refugio County, TX 75.5 Serious -0.5
San Augustine County, TX 75.4 Serious -0.6
Nevada County, AR 75.4 Serious -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chicot 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 Chicot 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 Chicot County, Arkansas?

    Chicot County has a County Distress Index score of 76.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 156th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chicot County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chicot County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 94.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Chicot County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chicot County (76.1) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Washington County, MS (86.1); Bolivar County, MS (84.7); East Carroll Parish, LA (82.9).

  • 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). Chicot County's score of 76.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Chicot 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 Chicot County?

    Chicot County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 9,538 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.