Marion County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.6 | 17,514 people · 70th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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

Marion County, AR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.6 — 1744th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Arkansas, it ranks 70th of 75 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Marion County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 81.0 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 81.0
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 82
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 61.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 84
House Price Change (YoY) 26
Consumer Credit Distress 52.3
Debt in Collections 60
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 48
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 31
Legal Distress 21.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22
Housing Cost Burden 19.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 54
Homeownership Rate 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Marion County, AR 47.6 Normal —
Taney County, MO 63.4 Elevated +15.9
Baxter County, AR 54.2 Elevated +6.6
Boone County, AR 52.1 Elevated +4.5
Searcy County, AR 43.8 Normal -3.8
Ozark County, MO 42.1 Normal -5.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Iron County, MI 47.6 Normal +0.0
Champaign County, OH 47.6 Normal +0.1
Gratiot County, MI 47.5 Normal -0.1
Sweetwater County, WY 47.5 Normal -0.1
Lee County, IA 47.7 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Marion 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 Marion 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 Marion County, Arkansas?

    Marion County has a County Distress Index score of 47.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,744th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 70th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marion County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marion County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 81.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Marion County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marion County (47.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Taney County, MO (63.4); Baxter County, AR (54.2); Boone County, AR (52.1).

  • 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). Marion County's score of 47.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Marion 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 Marion County?

    Marion County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 17,514 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.