Crittenden County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Crisis · 85.8 | 47,139 people · 1st most distressed in Arkansas
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Crittenden County, AR ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 85.8 — 13th 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 1st of 75 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 8 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Crittenden County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 94.3 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 94.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Consumer Credit Distress 93.8
Debt in Collections 99
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 99
Credit Card Delinquency 96
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 99
Housing Cost Burden 81.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 85
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 23
Homeownership Rate 95
Structural Poverty 71.6
Unemployment Rate 89
Poverty Rate 88
Income vs. State Median 42
Child Poverty Rate 89
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 71
Economic Vitality 69.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 23
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Crittenden County
Crittenden County, AR 85.8 Crisis —
Tunica County, MS 88.5 Crisis +2.7
Lee County, AR 83.7 Crisis -2.2
St. Francis County, AR 83.3 Crisis -2.5
Shelby County, TN 81.3 Crisis -4.5
Mississippi County, AR 76.8 Serious -9.0
Poinsett County, AR 73.2 Serious -12.6
Cross County, AR 73.2 Serious -12.7
DeSoto County, MS 67.1 Serious -18.7
Tipton County, TN 62.2 Elevated -23.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Crittenden County
Hopewell city, VA 86.0 Crisis +0.1
Coahoma County, MS 85.7 Crisis -0.1
Washington County, MS 86.1 Crisis +0.3
Phillips County, AR 85.5 Crisis -0.3
Baldwin County, GA 85.4 Crisis -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Crittenden 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 Crittenden 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 Crittenden County, Arkansas?

    Crittenden County has a County Distress Index score of 85.8 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 13th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Crittenden County?

    The primary driver of distress in Crittenden County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 94.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Crittenden County compare to neighboring counties?

    Crittenden County (85.8) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Tunica County, MS (88.5); Lee County, AR (83.7); St. Francis County, AR (83.3).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Crittenden County's score of 85.8 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Crittenden 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 Crittenden County?

    Crittenden County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 47,139 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.