Yell County, Arkansas

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.9 | 20,044 people · 61st most distressed in Arkansas
American Default Research

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Yell County, AR registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.9 — 1345th 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 61st 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. Yell County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 67.4 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 67.4
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 55
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 52
Subprime Credit Population 70
Structural Poverty 63.0
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 42
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 68
Economic Vitality 60.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 43
Business Formation Rate 90
House Price Change (YoY) 85
Legal Distress 33.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33
Housing Cost Burden 23.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 7
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 79

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Yell County
Yell County, AR 53.9 Elevated —
Garland County, AR 69.7 Serious +15.8
Scott County, AR 68.7 Serious +14.9
Conway County, AR 61.3 Elevated +7.4
Perry County, AR 58.2 Elevated +4.3
Montgomery County, AR 57.8 Elevated +4.0
Pope County, AR 56.0 Elevated +2.1
Logan County, AR 55.5 Elevated +1.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Yell County
Wright County, MO 53.9 Elevated -0.0
Knox County, IN 53.8 Elevated -0.0
Polk County, MO 53.8 Elevated -0.1
Union County, KY 53.8 Elevated -0.1
Dade County, GA 53.8 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Yell 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 Yell 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 Yell County, Arkansas?

    Yell County has a County Distress Index score of 53.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,345th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 61st in Arkansas out of 75 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Yell County?

    The primary driver of distress in Yell County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 67.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Yell County compare to neighboring counties?

    Yell County (53.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Garland County, AR (69.7); Scott County, AR (68.7); Conway County, AR (61.3).

  • 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). Yell County's score of 53.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Yell 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 Yell County?

    Yell County, Arkansas has a population of approximately 20,044 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.