Johnson County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.7 | 26,129 people · 34th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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

Johnson County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.7 — 509th 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 34th 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. Johnson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 73.0 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 73.0
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 63
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 47
Subprime Credit Population 77
Structural Poverty 72.2
Unemployment Rate 89
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Housing Cost Burden 61.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 75
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 28
Homeownership Rate 63
Economic Vitality 59.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 53
Rent-to-Income Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 80
House Price Change (YoY) 86
Legal Distress 55.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Johnson County, AR 67.7 Serious —
Pope County, AR 56.0 Elevated -11.7
Logan County, AR 55.5 Elevated -12.2
Franklin County, AR 55.0 Elevated -12.7
Madison County, AR 48.6 Normal -19.1
Newton County, AR 44.7 Normal -23.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Baker County, FL 67.7 Serious 0.0
Carter County, OK 67.7 Serious -0.0
Houston County, TX 67.6 Serious -0.1
Berrien County, GA 67.6 Serious -0.1
Crawford County, GA 67.8 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson County, Arkansas?

    Johnson County has a County Distress Index score of 67.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 509th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Johnson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Johnson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 73.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Johnson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Johnson County (67.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Pope County, AR (56.0); Logan County, AR (55.5); Franklin County, AR (55.0).

  • 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 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). Johnson County's score of 67.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Johnson 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 Johnson County?

    Johnson County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 26,129 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.