Ouachita County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.8 | 21,793 people · 35th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Ouachita County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.8 — 561st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Arkansas, it ranks 35th of 75 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ouachita County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 82.6 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 82.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Consumer Credit Distress 82.2
Debt in Collections 93
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 97
Uninsured Rate 27
Subprime Credit Population 83
Structural Poverty 77.1
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 54
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 97
Transfer Income Dependency 77
Housing Cost Burden 37.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 66
Economic Vitality 30.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 34
House Price Change (YoY) 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ouachita County
Ouachita County, AR 66.8 Serious —
Nevada County, AR 75.4 Serious +8.6
Clark County, AR 72.4 Serious +5.6
Dallas County, AR 72.3 Serious +5.5
Union County, AR 70.7 Serious +3.9
Columbia County, AR 68.1 Serious +1.3
Calhoun County, AR 46.0 Normal -20.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ouachita County
Rowan County, KY 66.8 Serious +0.0
Calhoun County, SC 66.8 Serious -0.0
Camp County, TX 66.9 Serious +0.1
Wilbarger County, TX 66.7 Serious -0.1
Prince Edward County, VA 66.7 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ouachita 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 Ouachita 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 Ouachita County, Arkansas?

    Ouachita County has a County Distress Index score of 66.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 561st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ouachita County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ouachita County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 82.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Ouachita County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ouachita County (66.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Nevada County, AR (75.4); Clark County, AR (72.4); Dallas County, AR (72.3).

  • 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). Ouachita County's score of 66.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Ouachita 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 Ouachita County?

    Ouachita County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 21,793 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.