Mayes County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.3 | 39,889 people · 41st most distressed in Oklahoma
American Default Research

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

Mayes County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.3 — 934th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Oklahoma, it ranks 41st of 77 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Mayes County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 81.5 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 81.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Consumer Credit Distress 70.8
Debt in Collections 72
Medical Debt 55
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 80
Structural Poverty 65.7
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 36
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Housing Cost Burden 41.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 41
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 31
Homeownership Rate 51
Economic Vitality 26.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 7
Rent-to-Income Ratio 27
Business Formation Rate 49
House Price Change (YoY) 81

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mayes County
Mayes County, OK 60.3 Elevated —
Delaware County, OK 68.3 Serious +8.0
Cherokee County, OK 68.1 Serious +7.8
Craig County, OK 57.7 Elevated -2.6
Wagoner County, OK 49.6 Normal -10.7
Rogers County, OK 46.4 Normal -13.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Mayes County
Big Horn County, MT 60.3 Elevated +0.0
Austin County, TX 60.3 Elevated +0.0
Wood County, TX 60.3 Elevated +0.0
Dinwiddie County, VA 60.3 Elevated +0.0
Pike County, AR 60.4 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mayes 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 Mayes 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 Mayes County, Oklahoma?

    Mayes County has a County Distress Index score of 60.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 934th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mayes County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mayes County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 81.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Mayes County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mayes County (60.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Delaware County, OK (68.3); Cherokee County, OK (68.1); Craig County, OK (57.7).

  • 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). Mayes County's score of 60.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Mayes 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 Mayes County?

    Mayes County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 39,889 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.