Garfield County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.0 | 62,023 people · 43rd most distressed in Oklahoma
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Garfield County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.0 — 951st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Oklahoma, it ranks 43rd of 77 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Garfield County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 69.7 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 69.7
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 55
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 69
Housing Cost Burden 53.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 26
Homeownership Rate 85
Economic Vitality 49.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 41
Business Formation Rate 67
House Price Change (YoY) 63
Structural Poverty 49.6
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 57
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 63
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 43
Legal Distress 48.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 48

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Garfield County
Garfield County, OK 60.0 Elevated —
Kay County, OK 66.0 Serious +6.0
Logan County, OK 54.0 Elevated -5.9
Noble County, OK 51.3 Elevated -8.6
Alfalfa County, OK 47.6 Normal -12.3
Grant County, OK 44.4 Normal -15.6
Kingfisher County, OK 41.0 Normal -18.9
Major County, OK 35.4 Normal -24.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Garfield County
Jackson County, IL 59.9 Elevated -0.0
Elkhart County, IN 60.0 Elevated +0.0
Aiken County, SC 59.9 Elevated -0.1
Flagler County, FL 59.9 Elevated -0.1
Anderson County, TN 59.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Garfield 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 Garfield 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 Garfield County, Oklahoma?

    Garfield County has a County Distress Index score of 60.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 951st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 43rd in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Garfield County?

    The primary driver of distress in Garfield County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 69.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Garfield County compare to neighboring counties?

    Garfield County (60.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Kay County, OK (66.0); Logan County, OK (54.0); Noble County, OK (51.3).

  • 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). Garfield County's score of 60.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Garfield 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 Garfield County?

    Garfield County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 62,023 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.