Cleburne County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.4 | 25,445 people · 67th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Cleburne County, AR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.4 — 1614th 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 67th of 75 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cleburne County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 79.5 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 79.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Structural Poverty 63.5
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 49
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 63
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Economic Vitality 53.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 41
Business Formation Rate 53
House Price Change (YoY) 21
Consumer Credit Distress 49.2
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 50
Auto Loan Delinquency 55
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 59
Housing Cost Burden 29.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 23
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 35
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 34
Homeownership Rate 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cleburne County
Cleburne County, AR 49.4 Normal —
Van Buren County, AR 64.3 Elevated +14.9
White County, AR 63.5 Elevated +14.1
Faulkner County, AR 63.0 Elevated +13.6
Independence County, AR 59.3 Elevated +9.9
Stone County, AR 53.1 Elevated +3.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cleburne County
Colorado County, TX 49.4 Normal +0.0
Allen County, KS 49.4 Normal +0.0
White County, IN 49.4 Normal +0.0
East Feliciana Parish, LA 49.3 Normal -0.0
Greene County, PA 49.3 Normal -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cleburne 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 Cleburne 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 Cleburne County, Arkansas?

    Cleburne County has a County Distress Index score of 49.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,614th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 67th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cleburne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cleburne County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 79.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Cleburne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cleburne County (49.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Van Buren County, AR (64.3); White County, AR (63.5); Faulkner County, AR (63.0).

  • 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 Normal 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). Cleburne County's score of 49.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Cleburne 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 Cleburne County?

    Cleburne County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 25,445 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.