Perry County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.2 | 10,184 people · 52nd most distressed in Arkansas
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Perry County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.2 — 1064th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Arkansas, it ranks 52nd of 75 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Perry County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 80.8 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 80.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 86
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 77
House Price Change (YoY) 87
Legal Distress 78.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Consumer Credit Distress 72.4
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 63
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 79
Uninsured Rate 21
Subprime Credit Population 66
Structural Poverty 60.1
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 65
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Housing Cost Burden 10.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 10
Homeownership Rate 33

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Perry County
Perry County, AR 58.2 Elevated —
Pulaski County, AR 70.0 Serious +11.8
Garland County, AR 69.7 Serious +11.5
Faulkner County, AR 63.0 Elevated +4.8
Conway County, AR 61.3 Elevated +3.1
Yell County, AR 53.9 Elevated -4.3
Saline County, AR 46.8 Normal -11.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Perry County
Graves County, KY 58.1 Elevated -0.0
Brooke County, WV 58.1 Elevated -0.0
Stoddard County, MO 58.2 Elevated +0.0
Tishomingo County, MS 58.1 Elevated -0.1
Bates County, MO 58.2 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Perry 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 Perry 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 Perry County, Arkansas?

    Perry County has a County Distress Index score of 58.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,064th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 52nd in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Perry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Perry County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 80.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Perry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Perry County (58.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Pulaski County, AR (70.0); Garland County, AR (69.7); Faulkner County, AR (63.0).

  • 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). Perry County's score of 58.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Perry 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 Perry County?

    Perry County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 10,184 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.