Craig County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.7 | 14,494 people · 50th most distressed in Oklahoma
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Craig County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.7 — 1102nd 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 50th of 77 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Craig County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 81.2 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 81.2
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 77
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Consumer Credit Distress 68.4
Debt in Collections 72
Medical Debt 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 21
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 80
Economic Vitality 59.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 51
House Price Change (YoY) 40
Legal Distress 37.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 38
Housing Cost Burden 26.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 18
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 56

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Craig County
Craig County, OK 57.7 Elevated —
Ottawa County, OK 71.5 Serious +13.8
Delaware County, OK 68.3 Serious +10.5
Mayes County, OK 60.3 Elevated +2.6
Labette County, KS 55.7 Elevated -2.1
Nowata County, OK 54.7 Elevated -3.0
Cherokee County, KS 51.0 Elevated -6.7
Rogers County, OK 46.4 Normal -11.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Craig County
Henderson County, TN 57.8 Elevated +0.0
Franklin County, FL 57.8 Elevated +0.1
Pickens County, GA 57.8 Elevated +0.1
Lincoln County, KY 57.8 Elevated +0.1
Gallia County, OH 57.8 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Craig County has a County Distress Index score of 57.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,102nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 50th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Craig County?

    The primary driver of distress in Craig County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 81.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Craig County compare to neighboring counties?

    Craig County (57.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Ottawa County, OK (71.5); Delaware County, OK (68.3); Mayes County, OK (60.3).

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

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

    Craig 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 Craig County?

    Craig County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 14,494 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.