Howard County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.6 | 12,533 people · 23rd most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Howard County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.6 — 330th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Arkansas, it ranks 23rd of 75 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Howard County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 84.1 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 84.1
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 83
Credit Card Delinquency 80
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 82
Structural Poverty 72.8
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 77
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 72
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Housing Cost Burden 59.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 50
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 66
Economic Vitality 54.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 43
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 94
House Price Change (YoY) 6
Legal Distress 46.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Howard County
Howard County, AR 71.6 Serious —
Hempstead County, AR 72.6 Serious +1.0
Little River County, AR 69.7 Serious -1.9
Sevier County, AR 62.9 Elevated -8.7
Pike County, AR 60.4 Elevated -11.3
Montgomery County, AR 57.8 Elevated -13.8
Polk County, AR 56.1 Elevated -15.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Howard County
Tallahatchie County, MS 71.6 Serious +0.0
Bienville Parish, LA 71.6 Serious +0.0
Bleckley County, GA 71.6 Serious -0.0
Lincoln Parish, LA 71.7 Serious +0.1
Leake County, MS 71.5 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Howard 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 Howard 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 Howard County, Arkansas?

    Howard County has a County Distress Index score of 71.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 330th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 23rd in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Howard County?

    The primary driver of distress in Howard County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 84.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Howard County compare to neighboring counties?

    Howard County (71.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hempstead County, AR (72.6); Little River County, AR (69.7); Sevier County, AR (62.9).

  • 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). Howard County's score of 71.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Howard 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 Howard County?

    Howard County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 12,533 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.