Jefferson County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.7 | 5,347 people · 49th most distressed in Oklahoma
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Jefferson County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.7 — 1100th 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 49th 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. Jefferson County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 93.5 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 93.5
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 94
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Economic Vitality 73.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 79
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 49
House Price Change (YoY) 62
Consumer Credit Distress 62.0
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 13
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Uninsured Rate 86
Subprime Credit Population 69
Legal Distress 32.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33
Housing Cost Burden 28.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 26
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 14
Homeownership Rate 60

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, OK 57.7 Elevated —
Montague County, TX 67.9 Serious +10.2
Carter County, OK 67.7 Serious +10.0
Cotton County, OK 64.7 Elevated +7.0
Stephens County, OK 59.3 Elevated +1.6
Love County, OK 56.2 Elevated -1.5
Clay County, TX 50.9 Elevated -6.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Alexander County, IL 57.6 Elevated -0.1
Montgomery County, AR 57.8 Elevated +0.1
Schley County, GA 57.6 Elevated -0.2
Throckmorton County, TX 57.9 Elevated +0.2
Coleman County, TX 57.5 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, Oklahoma?

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 57.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,100th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 49th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 93.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (57.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Montague County, TX (67.9); Carter County, OK (67.7); Cotton County, OK (64.7).

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

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

    Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 5,347 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.