Jackson County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.9 | 24,669 people · 47th most distressed in Oklahoma
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Jackson County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.9 — 1085th 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 47th 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. Jackson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 75.8 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 75.8
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 80
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 85
Subprime Credit Population 72
Structural Poverty 49.2
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 75
Disability Rate 49
Transfer Income Dependency 40
Housing Cost Burden 40.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 11
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 45
Homeownership Rate 91
Legal Distress 39.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39
Economic Vitality 35.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31
Business Formation Rate 66
House Price Change (YoY) 89

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Jackson County, OK 57.9 Elevated —
Hardeman County, TX 69.9 Serious +12.0
Tillman County, OK 69.8 Serious +11.9
Wilbarger County, TX 66.7 Serious +8.8
Harmon County, OK 65.5 Serious +7.6
Kiowa County, OK 64.3 Elevated +6.4
Greer County, OK 62.5 Elevated +4.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Chester County, TN 57.9 Elevated 0.0
Henry County, AL 57.9 Elevated +0.0
Dallas County, MO 57.8 Elevated -0.0
Warren County, TN 57.9 Elevated +0.1
Lewis County, WV 57.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson 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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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Jackson County has a County Distress Index score of 57.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,085th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 75.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Jackson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson County (57.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hardeman County, TX (69.9); Tillman County, OK (69.8); Wilbarger County, TX (66.7).

  • 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). Jackson County's score of 57.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Jackson 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 Jackson County?

    Jackson County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 24,669 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.