Searcy County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.8 | 7,806 people · 74th most distressed in Arkansas
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Searcy County, AR falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.8 — 1968th 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 74th of 75 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Searcy County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 89.2 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 89.2
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 90
Child Poverty Rate 87
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 77.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 67
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 40.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 38
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 39
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 46
Consumer Credit Distress 28.8
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 42
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Uninsured Rate 27
Subprime Credit Population 32
Legal Distress 23.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Searcy County
Searcy County, AR 43.8 Normal —
Van Buren County, AR 64.3 Elevated +20.5
Pope County, AR 56.0 Elevated +12.2
Baxter County, AR 54.2 Elevated +10.4
Stone County, AR 53.1 Elevated +9.3
Boone County, AR 52.1 Elevated +8.3
Marion County, AR 47.6 Normal +3.8
Newton County, AR 44.7 Normal +0.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Searcy County
Lewis County, MO 44.0 Normal +0.2
Winkler County, TX 44.0 Normal +0.2
Doddridge County, WV 43.5 Normal -0.4
Harding County, NM 43.4 Normal -0.4
Glasscock County, TX 43.4 Normal -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Searcy 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 Searcy 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 Searcy County, Arkansas?

    Searcy County has a County Distress Index score of 43.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,968th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 74th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Searcy County?

    The primary driver of distress in Searcy County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 89.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Searcy County compare to neighboring counties?

    Searcy County (43.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Van Buren County, AR (64.3); Pope County, AR (56.0); Baxter County, AR (54.2).

  • 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 Normal 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). Searcy County's score of 43.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Searcy 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 Searcy County?

    Searcy County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 7,806 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.