Adair County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.9 | 19,627 people · 4th most distressed in Oklahoma
American Default Research

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Adair County, OK shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.9 — 189th 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 Oklahoma, it ranks 4th of 77 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Adair County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 91.6 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 91.6
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 89
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 93
Structural Poverty 88.8
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 93
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 90
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Legal Distress 80.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 81
Economic Vitality 68.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 70
House Price Change (YoY) 62
Housing Cost Burden 31.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 23
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 14
Homeownership Rate 77

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Adair County
Adair County, OK 74.9 Serious —
Sequoyah County, OK 75.0 Serious +0.1
Delaware County, OK 68.3 Serious -6.7
Cherokee County, OK 68.1 Serious -6.8
Crawford County, AR 60.5 Elevated -14.5
Washington County, AR 53.8 Elevated -21.1
Benton County, AR 34.2 Healthy -40.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Adair County
Hamilton County, FL 74.9 Serious 0.0
Bristol city, VA 74.9 Serious +0.0
DeSoto County, FL 74.9 Serious -0.0
Sequoyah County, OK 75.0 Serious +0.1
Powell County, KY 74.8 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

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Oklahoma Bar Association Lawyer Referral 405-416-7000

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Adair County, Oklahoma?

    Adair County has a County Distress Index score of 74.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 189th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Adair County?

    The primary driver of distress in Adair County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 91.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Adair County compare to neighboring counties?

    Adair County (74.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Sequoyah County, OK (75.0); Delaware County, OK (68.3); Cherokee County, OK (68.1).

  • 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 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). Adair County's score of 74.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Adair 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 Adair County?

    Adair County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 19,627 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.