Jackson County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.8 | 16,784 people · 17th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Jackson County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.8 — 272nd 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 17th of 75 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jackson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 88.3 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 88.3
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 57
Subprime Credit Population 91
Structural Poverty 81.5
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 93
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 66
Legal Distress 69.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Housing Cost Burden 48.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 84
Economic Vitality 41.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 68
Business Formation Rate 86
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Jackson County, AR 72.8 Serious —
Craighead County, AR 75.1 Serious +2.3
Poinsett County, AR 73.2 Serious +0.4
Cross County, AR 73.2 Serious +0.3
Woodruff County, AR 71.0 Serious -1.8
Lawrence County, AR 70.5 Serious -2.4
White County, AR 63.5 Elevated -9.4
Independence County, AR 59.3 Elevated -13.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Bryan County, OK 72.8 Serious -0.0
Butler County, AL 72.9 Serious +0.1
Knox County, KY 72.8 Serious -0.1
Chickasaw County, MS 72.8 Serious -0.1
Allen Parish, LA 72.7 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson County, Arkansas?

    Jackson County has a County Distress Index score of 72.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 272nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 88.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Jackson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson County (72.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Craighead County, AR (75.1); Poinsett County, AR (73.2); Cross County, AR (73.2).

  • 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). Jackson County's score of 72.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Jackson 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 Jackson County?

    Jackson County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 16,784 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.