Jefferson County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 77.0 | 63,661 people · 7th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Jefferson County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 77.0 — 129th 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 7th of 75 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jefferson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 96.2 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 96.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 88.1
Debt in Collections 97
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 99
Uninsured Rate 24
Subprime Credit Population 96
Structural Poverty 82.0
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 93
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Housing Cost Burden 60.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 88
Economic Vitality 37.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Rent-to-Income Ratio 65
Business Formation Rate 32
House Price Change (YoY) 66

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, AR 77.0 Serious —
Pulaski County, AR 70.0 Serious -7.0
Arkansas County, AR 67.9 Serious -9.1
Cleveland County, AR 63.5 Elevated -13.5
Lincoln County, AR 56.1 Elevated -20.9
Lonoke County, AR 56.1 Elevated -20.9
Grant County, AR 49.3 Normal -27.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Nacogdoches County, TX 77.0 Serious +0.0
Floyd County, GA 77.0 Serious +0.0
Liberty County, TX 76.9 Serious -0.1
Hampton city, VA 77.1 Serious +0.1
Carroll County, GA 76.9 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, Arkansas?

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 77.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 129th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 96.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (77.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Pulaski County, AR (70.0); Arkansas County, AR (67.9); Cleveland County, AR (63.5).

  • 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). Jefferson County's score of 77.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 63,661 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.