Beckham County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.0 | 22,042 people · 38th most distressed in Oklahoma
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Beckham County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.0 — 884th 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 38th of 77 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Beckham County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 69.1 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 69.1
Debt in Collections 72
Medical Debt 63
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 67
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 80
Structural Poverty 66.1
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 91
Income vs. State Median 69
Child Poverty Rate 90
Disability Rate 39
Transfer Income Dependency 62
Economic Vitality 52.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Business Formation Rate 54
House Price Change (YoY) 80
Housing Cost Burden 50.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 82
Homeownership Rate 81
Legal Distress 42.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 43

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Beckham County
Beckham County, OK 61.0 Elevated —
Harmon County, OK 65.5 Serious +4.5
Kiowa County, OK 64.3 Elevated +3.2
Greer County, OK 62.5 Elevated +1.5
Custer County, OK 60.9 Elevated -0.2
Washita County, OK 57.2 Elevated -3.8
Wheeler County, TX 54.9 Elevated -6.1
Collingsworth County, TX 53.4 Elevated -7.6
Roger Mills County, OK 37.1 Normal -23.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Beckham County
Brown County, OH 61.0 Elevated +0.0
Wayne County, WV 61.0 Elevated -0.0
Texas County, MO 61.0 Elevated +0.0
Jackson County, TN 61.0 Elevated -0.0
Grant Parish, LA 61.1 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Beckham County

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Oklahoma Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Oklahoma Bar Association Lawyer Referral 405-416-7000

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Beckham County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma 1-888-534-5243

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Beckham County has a County Distress Index score of 61.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 884th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Beckham County?

    The primary driver of distress in Beckham County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 69.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Beckham County compare to neighboring counties?

    Beckham County (61.0) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Harmon County, OK (65.5); Kiowa County, OK (64.3); Greer County, OK (62.5).

  • 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). Beckham County's score of 61.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Beckham 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 Beckham County?

    Beckham County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 22,042 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.