Crawford County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.5 | 61,891 people · 46th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Crawford County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.5 — 922nd 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 46th of 75 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Crawford County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 82.5 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 82.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Consumer Credit Distress 69.0
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 53
Subprime Credit Population 76
Structural Poverty 51.6
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 52
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 69
Housing Cost Burden 51.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 51
Economic Vitality 34.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 16
Business Formation Rate 70
House Price Change (YoY) 38

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Crawford County
Crawford County, AR 60.5 Elevated —
Sequoyah County, OK 75.0 Serious +14.5
Adair County, OK 74.9 Serious +14.5
Sebastian County, AR 61.7 Elevated +1.2
Franklin County, AR 55.0 Elevated -5.4
Washington County, AR 53.8 Elevated -6.6
Madison County, AR 48.6 Normal -11.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Crawford County
Putnam County, TN 60.6 Elevated +0.1
Rockingham County, NC 60.6 Elevated +0.2
Hardin County, TX 60.3 Elevated -0.2
Burke County, NC 60.7 Elevated +0.3
St. Charles Parish, LA 60.2 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Crawford 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 Crawford 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 Crawford County, Arkansas?

    Crawford County has a County Distress Index score of 60.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 922nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Crawford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Crawford County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 82.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Crawford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Crawford County (60.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Sequoyah County, OK (75.0); Adair County, OK (74.9); Sebastian County, AR (61.7).

  • 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 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). Crawford County's score of 60.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Crawford 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 Crawford County?

    Crawford County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 61,891 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.