St. Francis County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Crisis · 83.3 | 22,101 people · 4th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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St. Francis County, AR ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 83.3 — 29th 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 4th of 75 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Francis County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 94.3 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 94.3
Unemployment Rate 93
Poverty Rate 99
Income vs. State Median 87
Child Poverty Rate 99
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 97
Consumer Credit Distress 91.8
Debt in Collections 99
Medical Debt 90
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 97
Housing Cost Burden 80.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 88
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 24
Homeownership Rate 96
Economic Vitality 56.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 87
Business Formation Rate 59
House Price Change (YoY) 99
Legal Distress 52.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 52

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Francis County
St. Francis County, AR 83.3 Crisis —
Crittenden County, AR 85.8 Crisis +2.5
Lee County, AR 83.7 Crisis +0.3
Monroe County, AR 74.6 Serious -8.7
Cross County, AR 73.2 Serious -10.2
Woodruff County, AR 71.0 Serious -12.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Francis County
Ware County, GA 83.4 Crisis +0.1
Crisp County, GA 83.1 Crisis -0.2
Hertford County, NC 82.9 Crisis -0.4
Holmes County, MS 82.7 Crisis -0.7
Edgecombe County, NC 82.6 Crisis -0.7

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for St. Francis County as a CSV file.

Find Help in St. Francis County

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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 St. Francis 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 St. Francis County, Arkansas?

    St. Francis County has a County Distress Index score of 83.3 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 29th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Francis County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Francis County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 94.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does St. Francis County compare to neighboring counties?

    St. Francis County (83.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Crittenden County, AR (85.8); Lee County, AR (83.7); Monroe County, AR (74.6).

  • 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 Crisis 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). St. Francis County's score of 83.3 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

  • What data sources power St. Francis County's CDI score?

    St. Francis 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 St. Francis County?

    St. Francis County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 22,101 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.