Dewey County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.8 | 4,286 people · 72nd most distressed in Oklahoma
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Dewey County, OK falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.8 — 2145th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Oklahoma, it ranks 72nd 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. Dewey County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 55.1 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 55.1
Debt in Collections 40
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Uninsured Rate 83
Subprime Credit Population 23
Structural Poverty 45.8
Unemployment Rate 5
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 50
Disability Rate 73
Transfer Income Dependency 38
Economic Vitality 30.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 45
Business Formation Rate 58
House Price Change (YoY) 62
Legal Distress 19.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19
Housing Cost Burden 18.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 13
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 14
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 10
Homeownership Rate 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dewey County
Dewey County, OK 40.8 Normal —
Custer County, OK 60.9 Elevated +20.1
Ellis County, OK 60.2 Elevated +19.4
Blaine County, OK 59.4 Elevated +18.6
Woodward County, OK 48.3 Normal +7.6
Roger Mills County, OK 37.1 Normal -3.6
Major County, OK 35.4 Normal -5.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dewey County
Mora County, NM 40.8 Normal 0.0
Henderson County, IL 40.8 Normal +0.1
Pleasants County, WV 40.7 Normal -0.1
Norton County, KS 40.9 Normal +0.1
Armstrong County, TX 40.9 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dewey 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 Dewey 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 Dewey County, Oklahoma?

    Dewey County has a County Distress Index score of 40.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,145th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 72nd in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dewey County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dewey County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 55.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Dewey County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dewey County (40.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Custer County, OK (60.9); Ellis County, OK (60.2); Blaine County, OK (59.4).

  • 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 Normal 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). Dewey County's score of 40.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Dewey 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 Dewey County?

    Dewey County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 4,286 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.