Montgomery County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.8 | 8,620 people · 53rd most distressed in Arkansas
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Montgomery County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.8 — 1090th 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 53rd of 75 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Montgomery County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 83.5 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 83.5
Unemployment Rate 94
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Economic Vitality 70.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 91
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Legal Distress 55.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 56
Consumer Credit Distress 54.4
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 32
Credit Card Delinquency 80
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 35
Housing Cost Burden 44.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 34
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 71
Homeownership Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Montgomery County, AR 57.8 Elevated —
Clark County, AR 72.4 Serious +14.5
Howard County, AR 71.6 Serious +13.8
Garland County, AR 69.7 Serious +11.9
Scott County, AR 68.7 Serious +10.9
Hot Spring County, AR 62.0 Elevated +4.2
Pike County, AR 60.4 Elevated +2.5
Polk County, AR 56.1 Elevated -1.7
Yell County, AR 53.9 Elevated -4.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Montgomery County
Jefferson County, OK 57.7 Elevated -0.1
Throckmorton County, TX 57.9 Elevated +0.1
Alexander County, IL 57.6 Elevated -0.2
Chattahoochee County, GA 58.1 Elevated +0.2
Schley County, GA 57.6 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery County, Arkansas?

    Montgomery County has a County Distress Index score of 57.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,090th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montgomery County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montgomery County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 83.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Montgomery County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montgomery County (57.8) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Clark County, AR (72.4); Howard County, AR (71.6); Garland County, AR (69.7).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Montgomery County's score of 57.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Montgomery 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 Montgomery County?

    Montgomery County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 8,620 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.