Madison County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.6 | 17,775 people · 69th most distressed in Arkansas
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Madison County, AR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.6 — 1668th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Arkansas, it ranks 69th of 75 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Madison County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 79.9 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 79.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 34
House Price Change (YoY) 56
Legal Distress 66.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 66
Consumer Credit Distress 55.9
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 42
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 62
Structural Poverty 52.3
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 60
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 63
Disability Rate 73
Transfer Income Dependency 50
Housing Cost Burden 12.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 10
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 8
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Madison County
Madison County, AR 48.6 Normal —
Johnson County, AR 67.7 Serious +19.1
Crawford County, AR 60.5 Elevated +11.9
Franklin County, AR 55.0 Elevated +6.4
Washington County, AR 53.8 Elevated +5.2
Carroll County, AR 53.0 Elevated +4.4
Newton County, AR 44.7 Normal -3.9
Benton County, AR 34.2 Healthy -14.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Madison County
Alleghany County, NC 48.6 Normal -0.0
Decatur County, IN 48.5 Normal -0.1
Morrow County, OH 48.7 Normal +0.1
Dakota County, NE 48.8 Normal +0.1
Adair County, MO 48.5 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Madison County

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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 Madison 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 Madison County, Arkansas?

    Madison County has a County Distress Index score of 48.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,668th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 69th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Madison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Madison County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 79.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Madison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Madison County (48.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Johnson County, AR (67.7); Crawford County, AR (60.5); 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 Normal 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). Madison County's score of 48.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Madison 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 Madison County?

    Madison County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 17,775 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.