Woodruff County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.0 | 5,964 people · 24th most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Woodruff County, AR shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.0 — 349th 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 24th of 75 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Woodruff County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 84.2 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 84.2
Debt in Collections 93
Medical Debt 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 88
Structural Poverty 81.8
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 83
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 70
Transfer Income Dependency 82
Legal Distress 79.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Housing Cost Burden 44.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 41
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 83
Economic Vitality 43.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 43
House Price Change (YoY) 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Woodruff County
Woodruff County, AR 71.0 Serious —
St. Francis County, AR 83.3 Crisis +12.3
Monroe County, AR 74.6 Serious +3.6
Cross County, AR 73.2 Serious +2.1
Jackson County, AR 72.8 Serious +1.8
White County, AR 63.5 Elevated -7.6
Prairie County, AR 50.5 Elevated -20.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Woodruff County
Tensas Parish, LA 71.2 Serious +0.2
Lowndes County, AL 70.7 Serious -0.3
Perry County, AL 70.7 Serious -0.3
Wolfe County, KY 70.5 Serious -0.5
Webster County, WV 70.5 Serious -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Woodruff 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 Woodruff 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Woodruff County has a County Distress Index score of 71.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 349th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Woodruff County?

    The primary driver of distress in Woodruff County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 84.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Woodruff County compare to neighboring counties?

    Woodruff County (71.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: St. Francis County, AR (83.3); Monroe County, AR (74.6); Cross County, AR (73.2).

  • 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 Serious 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). Woodruff County's score of 71.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Woodruff 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 Woodruff County?

    Woodruff County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 5,964 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.