Monroe County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.6 | 6,512 people · 12th most distressed in Arkansas
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Monroe County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.6 — 203rd 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 12th 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. Monroe County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 93.6 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 93.6
Unemployment Rate 94
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 83.0
Debt in Collections 89
Medical Debt 51
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 40
Subprime Credit Population 94
Legal Distress 78.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 78
Economic Vitality 58.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 32
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Housing Cost Burden 50.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 39
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 83

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Monroe County
Monroe County, AR 74.6 Serious —
Phillips County, AR 85.5 Crisis +10.9
Lee County, AR 83.7 Crisis +9.0
St. Francis County, AR 83.3 Crisis +8.7
Woodruff County, AR 71.0 Serious -3.6
Arkansas County, AR 67.9 Serious -6.7
Prairie County, AR 50.5 Elevated -24.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Monroe County
Wilcox County, AL 74.6 Serious +0.0
Talbot County, GA 74.4 Serious -0.2
Atkinson County, GA 74.4 Serious -0.2
Crosby County, TX 74.8 Serious +0.2
Menominee County, WI 75.4 Serious +0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County, Arkansas?

    Monroe County has a County Distress Index score of 74.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 203rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Monroe County?

    The primary driver of distress in Monroe County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 93.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Monroe County compare to neighboring counties?

    Monroe County (74.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Phillips County, AR (85.5); Lee County, AR (83.7); St. Francis County, AR (83.3).

  • 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). Monroe County's score of 74.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Monroe 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 Monroe County?

    Monroe County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 6,512 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.