Creek County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.9 | 73,332 people · 39th most distressed in Oklahoma
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Creek County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.9 — 893rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Oklahoma, it ranks 39th of 77 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Creek County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 83.8 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 83.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 84
Consumer Credit Distress 71.7
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 68
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 73
Subprime Credit Population 70
Economic Vitality 56.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 33
House Price Change (YoY) 9
Structural Poverty 53.0
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 66
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 61
Disability Rate 44
Transfer Income Dependency 57
Housing Cost Burden 37.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 55
Homeownership Rate 50

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Creek County
Creek County, OK 60.9 Elevated —
Okmulgee County, OK 74.8 Serious +13.8
Okfuskee County, OK 71.8 Serious +10.9
Payne County, OK 64.6 Elevated +3.7
Tulsa County, OK 61.8 Elevated +0.9
Lincoln County, OK 61.6 Elevated +0.7
Pawnee County, OK 61.4 Elevated +0.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Creek County
Granville County, NC 60.9 Elevated -0.0
Harnett County, NC 61.0 Elevated +0.0
Monroe County, FL 60.8 Elevated -0.1
Waller County, TX 60.8 Elevated -0.1
Kankakee County, IL 60.8 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Creek 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 Creek 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 Creek County, Oklahoma?

    Creek County has a County Distress Index score of 60.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 893rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Creek County?

    The primary driver of distress in Creek County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 83.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Creek County compare to neighboring counties?

    Creek County (60.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Okmulgee County, OK (74.8); Okfuskee County, OK (71.8); Payne County, OK (64.6).

  • 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). Creek County's score of 60.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Creek 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 Creek County?

    Creek County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 73,332 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.