Fulton County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.6 | 12,421 people · 49th most distressed in Arkansas
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Fulton County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.6 — 980th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Arkansas, it ranks 49th 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. Fulton County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 83.3 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 83.3
Unemployment Rate 86
Poverty Rate 76
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Housing Cost Burden 66.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 5
Economic Vitality 60.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 93
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Consumer Credit Distress 53.5
Debt in Collections 52
Medical Debt 78
Auto Loan Delinquency 33
Credit Card Delinquency 57
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 46
Legal Distress 34.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fulton County
Fulton County, AR 59.6 Elevated —
Oregon County, MO 70.5 Serious +10.9
Howell County, MO 61.2 Elevated +1.6
Sharp County, AR 59.8 Elevated +0.2
Izard County, AR 59.2 Elevated -0.4
Baxter County, AR 54.2 Elevated -5.4
Ozark County, MO 42.1 Normal -17.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fulton County
Taylor County, KY 59.5 Elevated -0.0
Lamb County, TX 59.5 Elevated -0.0
Wise County, VA 59.5 Elevated -0.0
McNairy County, TN 59.5 Elevated -0.1
Caldwell County, KY 59.5 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fulton 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 Fulton 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 Fulton County, Arkansas?

    Fulton County has a County Distress Index score of 59.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 980th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 49th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fulton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fulton County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 83.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Fulton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fulton County (59.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Oregon County, MO (70.5); Howell County, MO (61.2); Sharp County, AR (59.8).

  • 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). Fulton County's score of 59.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Fulton 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 Fulton County?

    Fulton County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 12,421 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.