Coal County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.0 | 5,266 people · 64th most distressed in Oklahoma
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Coal County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.0 — 1573rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Oklahoma, it ranks 64th of 77 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Coal County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 86.3 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 86.3
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 86
Child Poverty Rate 90
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Economic Vitality 58.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 67
House Price Change (YoY) 62
Consumer Credit Distress 50.5
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 22
Credit Card Delinquency 7
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 85
Housing Cost Burden 32.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 20
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 30
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 67
Legal Distress 22.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Coal County
Coal County, OK 50.0 Elevated —
Atoka County, OK 68.7 Serious +18.7
Pittsburg County, OK 67.9 Serious +17.9
Hughes County, OK 63.2 Elevated +13.2
Johnston County, OK 59.1 Elevated +9.0
Pontotoc County, OK 50.5 Elevated +0.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Coal County
Eureka County, NV 50.1 Elevated +0.1
Sioux County, ND 50.1 Elevated +0.1
Dawes County, NE 50.2 Elevated +0.2
Woods County, OK 50.4 Elevated +0.3
Luce County, MI 50.4 Elevated +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Coal County

Find an Attorney

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 Coal County residents at no cost.

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

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Oklahoma →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Coal County has a County Distress Index score of 50.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,573rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 64th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Coal County?

    The primary driver of distress in Coal County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 86.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Coal County compare to neighboring counties?

    Coal County (50.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Atoka County, OK (68.7); Pittsburg County, OK (67.9); Hughes County, OK (63.2).

  • 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). Coal County's score of 50.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Coal 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 Coal County?

    Coal County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 5,266 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.