Little River County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.7 | 11,805 people · 29th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Little River County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.7 — 403rd 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 29th of 75 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Little River County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.7 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.7
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 25
Subprime Credit Population 87
Structural Poverty 72.0
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 77
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 59
Transfer Income Dependency 82
Legal Distress 63.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Housing Cost Burden 49.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 71
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 19
Economic Vitality 33.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 77
House Price Change (YoY) 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Little River County
Little River County, AR 69.7 Serious —
Miller County, AR 79.3 Serious +9.6
Bowie County, TX 74.3 Serious +4.6
Hempstead County, AR 72.6 Serious +2.9
Howard County, AR 71.6 Serious +1.9
McCurtain County, OK 64.1 Elevated -5.6
Sevier County, AR 62.9 Elevated -6.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Little River County
Toombs County, GA 69.7 Serious -0.0
Glades County, FL 69.7 Serious -0.0
Conecuh County, AL 69.7 Serious +0.0
Emanuel County, GA 69.6 Serious -0.1
Pickens County, AL 69.6 Serious -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Little River County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Little River 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 Little River 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 Little River County, Arkansas?

    Little River County has a County Distress Index score of 69.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 403rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Little River County?

    The primary driver of distress in Little River County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Little River County compare to neighboring counties?

    Little River County (69.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Miller County, AR (79.3); Bowie County, TX (74.3); Hempstead County, AR (72.6).

  • 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). Little River County's score of 69.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Little River County's CDI score?

    Little River 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 Little River County?

    Little River County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 11,805 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.