Garland County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.7 | 99,784 people · 28th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Garland County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.7 — 402nd 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 28th of 75 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Garland County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 86.8 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 86.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 87
Structural Poverty 72.1
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 90
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 82
Consumer Credit Distress 69.7
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 76
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 58
Housing Cost Burden 64.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 44
Homeownership Rate 73
Economic Vitality 63.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 73
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 48

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Garland County
Garland County, AR 69.7 Serious —
Hot Spring County, AR 62.0 Elevated -7.7
Perry County, AR 58.2 Elevated -11.5
Montgomery County, AR 57.8 Elevated -11.9
Yell County, AR 53.9 Elevated -15.8
Saline County, AR 46.8 Normal -22.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Garland County
Cleveland County, NC 69.7 Serious -0.0
Wicomico County, MD 69.7 Serious -0.0
Navarro County, TX 69.8 Serious +0.2
Johnson County, TX 69.9 Serious +0.2
Hamblen County, TN 69.5 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Garland County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Garland County.

SOUTHERN BANCORP COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Hot Springs
501-406-6000-2863 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing

See all counselors in Arkansas →

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 Garland 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Arkansas →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Garland County, Arkansas?

    Garland County has a County Distress Index score of 69.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 402nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Garland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Garland County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 86.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Garland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Garland County (69.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Hot Spring County, AR (62.0); Perry County, AR (58.2); Montgomery County, AR (57.8).

  • 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 Serious 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). Garland County's score of 69.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Garland 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 Garland County?

    Garland County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 99,784 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.