Cleveland County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.7 | 301,193 people · 48th most distressed in Oklahoma
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Cleveland County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.7 — 1099th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Oklahoma, it ranks 48th of 77 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cleveland County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 73.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 73.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 66
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 86
Legal Distress 67.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Consumer Credit Distress 57.8
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 85
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Uninsured Rate 64
Subprime Credit Population 59
Economic Vitality 56.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 17
House Price Change (YoY) 82
Structural Poverty 27.8
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 9
Child Poverty Rate 28
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cleveland County
Cleveland County, OK 57.7 Elevated —
Pottawatomie County, OK 70.3 Serious +12.6
Oklahoma County, OK 68.9 Serious +11.2
Canadian County, OK 56.7 Elevated -1.1
McClain County, OK 55.6 Elevated -2.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cleveland County
Greene County, MO 57.7 Elevated -0.1
Manatee County, FL 57.4 Elevated -0.4
Marion County, OR 58.3 Elevated +0.6
Dauphin County, PA 57.1 Elevated -0.6
Brazoria County, TX 58.4 Elevated +0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cleveland County

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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 Cleveland County, Oklahoma?

    Cleveland County has a County Distress Index score of 57.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,099th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cleveland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cleveland County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 73.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cleveland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cleveland County (57.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Pottawatomie County, OK (70.3); Oklahoma County, OK (68.9); Canadian County, OK (56.7).

  • 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). Cleveland County's score of 57.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Cleveland 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 Cleveland County?

    Cleveland County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 301,193 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.