Prairie County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.5 | 8,036 people · 66th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Prairie County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.5 — 1546th 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 66th of 75 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Prairie County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 85.0 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 85.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Structural Poverty 64.3
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 64
Income vs. State Median 30
Child Poverty Rate 71
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 78
Consumer Credit Distress 57.5
Debt in Collections 59
Medical Debt 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 56
Credit Card Delinquency 94
Uninsured Rate 29
Subprime Credit Population 48
Economic Vitality 40.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 30
Business Formation Rate 71
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Housing Cost Burden 19.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 71
Homeownership Rate 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Prairie County
Prairie County, AR 50.5 Elevated —
Monroe County, AR 74.6 Serious +24.1
Woodruff County, AR 71.0 Serious +20.5
Arkansas County, AR 67.9 Serious +17.4
White County, AR 63.5 Elevated +13.0
Lonoke County, AR 56.1 Elevated +5.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Prairie County
San Saba County, TX 50.4 Elevated -0.1
Luce County, MI 50.4 Elevated -0.1
Woods County, OK 50.4 Elevated -0.1
Houston County, TN 50.6 Elevated +0.1
Dawes County, NE 50.2 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Prairie 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 Prairie 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 Prairie County, Arkansas?

    Prairie County has a County Distress Index score of 50.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,546th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 66th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Prairie County?

    The primary driver of distress in Prairie County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 85.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Prairie County compare to neighboring counties?

    Prairie County (50.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Monroe County, AR (74.6); Woodruff County, AR (71.0); Arkansas County, AR (67.9).

  • 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). Prairie County's score of 50.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Prairie 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 Prairie County?

    Prairie County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 8,036 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.