Miller County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 79.3 | 42,415 people · 6th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Miller County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 79.3 — 78th 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 6th of 75 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Miller County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 84.2 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 84.2
Debt in Collections 94
Medical Debt 88
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Uninsured Rate 73
Subprime Credit Population 88
Housing Cost Burden 80.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 84
Legal Distress 75.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Structural Poverty 73.4
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 90
Income vs. State Median 49
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 80
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Economic Vitality 61.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 21
House Price Change (YoY) 79

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Miller County
Miller County, AR 79.3 Serious —
Caddo Parish, LA 82.7 Crisis +3.4
Bowie County, TX 74.3 Serious -5.0
Hempstead County, AR 72.6 Serious -6.7
Little River County, AR 69.7 Serious -9.6
Lafayette County, AR 68.3 Serious -11.0
Cass County, TX 67.0 Serious -12.2
Bossier Parish, LA 67.0 Serious -12.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Miller County
Dunklin County, MO 79.2 Serious -0.1
Lauderdale County, TN 79.4 Serious +0.1
Washington County, GA 79.0 Serious -0.2
Haywood County, TN 79.5 Serious +0.3
Upson County, GA 79.6 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Miller 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 Miller 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 Miller County, Arkansas?

    Miller County has a County Distress Index score of 79.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 78th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Miller County?

    The primary driver of distress in Miller County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 84.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Miller County compare to neighboring counties?

    Miller County (79.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Caddo Parish, LA (82.7); 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). Miller County's score of 79.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Miller 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 Miller County?

    Miller County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 42,415 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.