Cherokee County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.1 | 48,185 people · 18th most distressed in Oklahoma
American Default Research

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Cherokee County, OK shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.1 — 487th 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 18th of 77 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. Cherokee County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 78.3 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 78.3
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 88
Auto Loan Delinquency 71
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Uninsured Rate 96
Subprime Credit Population 85
Structural Poverty 74.2
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 77
Disability Rate 84
Transfer Income Dependency 78
Housing Cost Burden 56.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 67
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 82
Legal Distress 55.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 56
Economic Vitality 45.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 63
Business Formation Rate 63
House Price Change (YoY) 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cherokee County
Cherokee County, OK 68.1 Serious —
Muskogee County, OK 76.3 Serious +8.3
Sequoyah County, OK 75.0 Serious +6.9
Adair County, OK 74.9 Serious +6.8
Delaware County, OK 68.3 Serious +0.2
Mayes County, OK 60.3 Elevated -7.8
Wagoner County, OK 49.6 Normal -18.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cherokee County
Bacon County, GA 68.1 Serious 0.0
Martin County, KY 68.1 Serious -0.0
Columbia County, AR 68.1 Serious +0.0
Franklin Parish, LA 68.0 Serious -0.1
Simpson County, KY 68.0 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cherokee 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

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Legal aid organizations serving Cherokee 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 Cherokee County, Oklahoma?

    Cherokee County has a County Distress Index score of 68.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 487th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 18th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cherokee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cherokee County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 78.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Cherokee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cherokee County (68.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Muskogee County, OK (76.3); Sequoyah County, OK (75.0); Adair County, OK (74.9).

  • 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). Cherokee County's score of 68.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Cherokee 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 Cherokee County?

    Cherokee County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 48,185 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.