Franklin County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.0 | 17,468 people · 59th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Franklin County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.0 — 1268th 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 59th of 75 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Franklin County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 69.1 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 69.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Structural Poverty 68.0
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 33
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 90
Transfer Income Dependency 76
Consumer Credit Distress 61.6
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 52
Subprime Credit Population 76
Economic Vitality 42.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 38
Rent-to-Income Ratio 34
Business Formation Rate 61
House Price Change (YoY) 55
Housing Cost Burden 33.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 52

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Franklin County, AR 55.0 Elevated —
Johnson County, AR 67.7 Serious +12.7
Sebastian County, AR 61.7 Elevated +6.7
Crawford County, AR 60.5 Elevated +5.4
Logan County, AR 55.5 Elevated +0.4
Madison County, AR 48.6 Normal -6.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Manassas Park city, VA 55.0 Elevated -0.0
White County, GA 55.1 Elevated +0.1
Shelby County, IN 55.1 Elevated +0.1
Larue County, KY 55.0 Elevated -0.1
Benton County, TN 55.1 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County, Arkansas?

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 55.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,268th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 59th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 69.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (55.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Johnson County, AR (67.7); Sebastian County, AR (61.7); Crawford County, AR (60.5).

  • 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). Franklin County's score of 55.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Franklin 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 Franklin County?

    Franklin County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 17,468 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.