Randolph County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.3 | 18,907 people · 42nd most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Randolph County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.3 — 817th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Arkansas, it ranks 42nd 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. Randolph County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 77.5 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 77.5
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 41
Subprime Credit Population 78
Structural Poverty 71.8
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 44
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Economic Vitality 53.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 45
Business Formation Rate 74
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 39.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 42
Homeownership Rate 56
Legal Distress 25.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Randolph County
Randolph County, AR 62.3 Elevated —
Ripley County, MO 76.4 Serious +14.1
Greene County, AR 74.1 Serious +11.9
Lawrence County, AR 70.5 Serious +8.2
Oregon County, MO 70.5 Serious +8.2
Clay County, AR 63.2 Elevated +0.9
Sharp County, AR 59.8 Elevated -2.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Randolph County
Appling County, GA 62.3 Elevated -0.0
Unicoi County, TN 62.3 Elevated +0.0
Del Norte County, CA 62.3 Elevated +0.0
Hart County, GA 62.4 Elevated +0.1
Dale County, AL 62.4 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Randolph 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 Randolph 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 Randolph County, Arkansas?

    Randolph County has a County Distress Index score of 62.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 817th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Randolph County?

    The primary driver of distress in Randolph County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 77.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Randolph County compare to neighboring counties?

    Randolph County (62.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Ripley County, MO (76.4); Greene County, AR (74.1); Lawrence County, AR (70.5).

  • 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). Randolph County's score of 62.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Randolph 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 Randolph County?

    Randolph County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 18,907 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.