Faulkner County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.0 | 129,951 people · 40th most distressed in Arkansas
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Faulkner County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.0 — 772nd 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 40th of 75 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Faulkner County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 84.9 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 84.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Housing Cost Burden 70.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 69
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 45
Homeownership Rate 91
Consumer Credit Distress 67.1
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Uninsured Rate 45
Subprime Credit Population 75
Economic Vitality 53.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 40
Business Formation Rate 34
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Structural Poverty 30.8
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 8
Child Poverty Rate 37
Disability Rate 29
Transfer Income Dependency 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Faulkner County
Faulkner County, AR 63.0 Elevated —
Pulaski County, AR 70.0 Serious +7.0
Van Buren County, AR 64.3 Elevated +1.3
White County, AR 63.5 Elevated +0.5
Conway County, AR 61.3 Elevated -1.7
Perry County, AR 58.2 Elevated -4.8
Lonoke County, AR 56.1 Elevated -6.9
Cleburne County, AR 49.4 Normal -13.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Faulkner County
Midland County, TX 62.9 Elevated -0.1
Saginaw County, MI 63.1 Elevated +0.1
Bedford County, TN 63.2 Elevated +0.2
Hall County, GA 62.8 Elevated -0.2
Cherokee County, TX 62.8 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Faulkner 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 Faulkner 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 Faulkner County, Arkansas?

    Faulkner County has a County Distress Index score of 63.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 772nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Faulkner County?

    The primary driver of distress in Faulkner County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 84.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Faulkner County compare to neighboring counties?

    Faulkner County (63.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Pulaski County, AR (70.0); Van Buren County, AR (64.3); White County, AR (63.5).

  • 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). Faulkner County's score of 63.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Faulkner 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 Faulkner County?

    Faulkner County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 129,951 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.