Sevier County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.9 | 15,632 people · 41st most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Sevier County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.9 — 776th 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 41st of 75 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sevier County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 78.2 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 78.2
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 66
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 73
Housing Cost Burden 53.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 48
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 49
Homeownership Rate 84
Structural Poverty 51.7
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 39
Child Poverty Rate 78
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 44
Economic Vitality 46.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 80
House Price Change (YoY) 9
Legal Distress 34.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sevier County
Sevier County, AR 62.9 Elevated —
Howard County, AR 71.6 Serious +8.7
Little River County, AR 69.7 Serious +6.8
McCurtain County, OK 64.1 Elevated +1.2
Polk County, AR 56.1 Elevated -6.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sevier County
Henry County, MO 62.9 Elevated 0.0
Holmes County, FL 62.8 Elevated -0.1
Shelby County, TX 62.8 Elevated -0.1
McDowell County, WV 63.0 Elevated +0.1
Grundy County, TN 63.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sevier 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 Sevier 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Arkansas →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Sevier County, Arkansas?

    Sevier County has a County Distress Index score of 62.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 776th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sevier County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sevier County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 78.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Sevier County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sevier County (62.9) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Howard County, AR (71.6); Little River County, AR (69.7); McCurtain County, OK (64.1).

  • 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). Sevier County's score of 62.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Sevier 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 Sevier County?

    Sevier County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 15,632 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.