Grant County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.3 | 18,383 people · 68th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Grant County, AR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.3 — 1622nd 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 68th of 75 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Grant County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 90.3 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 90.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Consumer Credit Distress 57.3
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 94
Uninsured Rate 37
Subprime Credit Population 60
Housing Cost Burden 36.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 72
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 17
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 6
Homeownership Rate 21
Structural Poverty 35.4
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 30
Income vs. State Median 12
Child Poverty Rate 28
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 41
Economic Vitality 26.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Rent-to-Income Ratio 20
Business Formation Rate 43
House Price Change (YoY) 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Grant County
Grant County, AR 49.3 Normal —
Jefferson County, AR 77.0 Serious +27.8
Dallas County, AR 72.3 Serious +23.0
Pulaski County, AR 70.0 Serious +20.7
Cleveland County, AR 63.5 Elevated +14.2
Hot Spring County, AR 62.0 Elevated +12.8
Saline County, AR 46.8 Normal -2.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Grant County
Barry County, MO 49.3 Normal -0.0
King William County, VA 49.3 Normal +0.0
Marshall County, TN 49.3 Normal +0.0
Delta County, CO 49.2 Normal -0.0
East Feliciana Parish, LA 49.3 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Grant 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 Grant 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Grant County has a County Distress Index score of 49.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,622nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 68th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Grant County?

    The primary driver of distress in Grant County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 90.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Grant County compare to neighboring counties?

    Grant County (49.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jefferson County, AR (77.0); Dallas County, AR (72.3); Pulaski County, AR (70.0).

  • 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 Normal 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). Grant County's score of 49.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Grant 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 Grant County?

    Grant County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 18,383 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.