Le Flore County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.5 | 49,596 people · 12th most distressed in Oklahoma
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Le Flore County, OK shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.5 — 369th 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 12th of 77 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Le Flore County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 82.1 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 82.1
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Consumer Credit Distress 80.4
Debt in Collections 82
Medical Debt 85
Auto Loan Delinquency 58
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 83
Legal Distress 79.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Economic Vitality 63.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 63
Rent-to-Income Ratio 61
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 94
Housing Cost Burden 42.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 33
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 29
Homeownership Rate 62

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Le Flore County
Le Flore County, OK 70.5 Serious —
Sequoyah County, OK 75.0 Serious +4.5
Scott County, AR 68.7 Serious -1.8
Pushmataha County, OK 65.4 Serious -5.1
Latimer County, OK 65.3 Serious -5.2
Haskell County, OK 65.3 Serious -5.3
McCurtain County, OK 64.1 Elevated -6.4
Sebastian County, AR 61.7 Elevated -8.8
Polk County, AR 56.1 Elevated -14.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Le Flore County
Chester County, SC 70.5 Serious +0.0
Lawrence County, AR 70.5 Serious -0.0
Chesterfield County, SC 70.6 Serious +0.1
Caldwell County, TX 70.5 Serious -0.1
Boone County, WV 70.5 Serious -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Le Flore County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Le Flore 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 Le Flore County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma 1-888-534-5243

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Oklahoma →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Le Flore County, Oklahoma?

    Le Flore County has a County Distress Index score of 70.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 369th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Le Flore County?

    The primary driver of distress in Le Flore County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 82.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Le Flore County compare to neighboring counties?

    Le Flore County (70.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Sequoyah County, OK (75.0); Scott County, AR (68.7); Pushmataha County, OK (65.4).

  • 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 Serious 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). Le Flore County's score of 70.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Le Flore County's CDI score?

    Le Flore 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 Le Flore County?

    Le Flore County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 49,596 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.