Conway County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.3 | 21,077 people · 45th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Conway County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.3 — 867th 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 45th 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. Conway County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 86.2 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 86.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 86
Structural Poverty 66.2
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 64
Consumer Credit Distress 63.2
Debt in Collections 73
Medical Debt 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 34
Subprime Credit Population 78
Housing Cost Burden 56.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 64
Economic Vitality 36.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 15
Rent-to-Income Ratio 35
Business Formation Rate 72
House Price Change (YoY) 78

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Conway County
Conway County, AR 61.3 Elevated —
Van Buren County, AR 64.3 Elevated +3.0
Faulkner County, AR 63.0 Elevated +1.7
Perry County, AR 58.2 Elevated -3.1
Pope County, AR 56.0 Elevated -5.3
Yell County, AR 53.9 Elevated -7.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Conway County
Summers County, WV 61.3 Elevated 0.0
Chilton County, AL 61.3 Elevated +0.0
Franklin County, IL 61.3 Elevated +0.0
Caswell County, NC 61.3 Elevated +0.0
Aransas County, TX 61.4 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Conway 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 Conway 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 Conway County, Arkansas?

    Conway County has a County Distress Index score of 61.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 867th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Conway County?

    The primary driver of distress in Conway County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 86.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Conway County compare to neighboring counties?

    Conway County (61.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Van Buren County, AR (64.3); Faulkner County, AR (63.0); Perry County, AR (58.2).

  • 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). Conway County's score of 61.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Conway 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 Conway County?

    Conway County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 21,077 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.