Lawrence County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.5 | 16,318 people · 26th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Lawrence County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.5 — 371st 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 26th of 75 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lawrence County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 85.5 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 85.5
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 90
Uninsured Rate 60
Subprime Credit Population 74
Legal Distress 82.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Structural Poverty 77.0
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Economic Vitality 56.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 71
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 36.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 77

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lawrence County
Lawrence County, AR 70.5 Serious —
Craighead County, AR 75.1 Serious +4.7
Greene County, AR 74.1 Serious +3.7
Jackson County, AR 72.8 Serious +2.4
Randolph County, AR 62.3 Elevated -8.2
Sharp County, AR 59.8 Elevated -10.7
Independence County, AR 59.3 Elevated -11.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lawrence County
Caldwell County, TX 70.5 Serious -0.0
Boone County, WV 70.5 Serious -0.0
Le Flore County, OK 70.5 Serious +0.0
Chester County, SC 70.5 Serious +0.1
Floyd County, KY 70.4 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence County, Arkansas?

    Lawrence County has a County Distress Index score of 70.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 371st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lawrence County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lawrence County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 85.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Lawrence County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lawrence County (70.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Craighead County, AR (75.1); Greene County, AR (74.1); Jackson County, AR (72.8).

  • 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). Lawrence County's score of 70.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Lawrence 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 Lawrence County?

    Lawrence County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 16,318 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.