Sharp County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.8 | 17,968 people · 48th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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

Sharp County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.8 — 970th 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 48th of 75 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sharp County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 84.9 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 84.9
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 67.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 69
Business Formation Rate 68
House Price Change (YoY) 56
Consumer Credit Distress 66.6
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 56
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Uninsured Rate 29
Subprime Credit Population 62
Legal Distress 55.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 56
Housing Cost Burden 28.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 30
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 30
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 25
Homeownership Rate 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sharp County
Sharp County, AR 59.8 Elevated —
Lawrence County, AR 70.5 Serious +10.7
Oregon County, MO 70.5 Serious +10.7
Randolph County, AR 62.3 Elevated +2.5
Fulton County, AR 59.6 Elevated -0.2
Independence County, AR 59.3 Elevated -0.5
Izard County, AR 59.2 Elevated -0.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sharp County
Panola County, TX 59.8 Elevated -0.0
Lampasas County, TX 59.8 Elevated +0.0
Wythe County, VA 59.8 Elevated +0.0
Eastland County, TX 59.7 Elevated -0.0
Mason County, KY 59.9 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sharp 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 Sharp 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 Sharp County, Arkansas?

    Sharp County has a County Distress Index score of 59.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 970th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sharp County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sharp County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 84.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Sharp County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sharp County (59.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Lawrence County, AR (70.5); Oregon County, MO (70.5); Randolph County, AR (62.3).

  • 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). Sharp County's score of 59.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Sharp 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 Sharp County?

    Sharp County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 17,968 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.