Clay County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.2 | 14,201 people · 39th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Clay County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.2 — 767th 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 39th of 75 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clay County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 78.9 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 78.9
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 57
Subprime Credit Population 81
Structural Poverty 77.7
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 76
Income vs. State Median 64
Child Poverty Rate 71
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Legal Distress 61.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 62
Economic Vitality 52.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 68
House Price Change (YoY) 9
Housing Cost Burden 25.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 64

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Clay County, AR 63.2 Elevated —
Dunklin County, MO 79.2 Serious +16.0
Ripley County, MO 76.4 Serious +13.3
Greene County, AR 74.1 Serious +11.0
Butler County, MO 70.0 Serious +6.8
Randolph County, AR 62.3 Elevated -0.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Roosevelt County, NM 63.2 Elevated +0.0
Hughes County, OK 63.2 Elevated +0.0
Gray County, TX 63.2 Elevated +0.1
Clarke County, AL 63.3 Elevated +0.1
Madison County, MO 63.0 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay County, Arkansas?

    Clay County has a County Distress Index score of 63.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 767th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clay County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clay County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 78.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Clay County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clay County (63.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Dunklin County, MO (79.2); Ripley County, MO (76.4); Greene County, AR (74.1).

  • 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). Clay County's score of 63.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Clay 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 Clay County?

    Clay County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 14,201 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.