McClain County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.6 | 47,072 people · 54th most distressed in Oklahoma
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McClain County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.6 — 1228th 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 54th 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. McClain County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 78.8 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 78.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Housing Cost Burden 67.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 81
Homeownership Rate 26
Consumer Credit Distress 56.2
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 63
Subprime Credit Population 59
Economic Vitality 55.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Rent-to-Income Ratio 23
Business Formation Rate 18
House Price Change (YoY) 85
Structural Poverty 21.9
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 22
Disability Rate 37
Transfer Income Dependency 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McClain County
McClain County, OK 55.6 Elevated —
Pottawatomie County, OK 70.3 Serious +14.7
Garvin County, OK 62.6 Elevated +7.0
Cleveland County, OK 57.7 Elevated +2.1
Canadian County, OK 56.7 Elevated +1.1
Grady County, OK 54.5 Elevated -1.1
Pontotoc County, OK 50.5 Elevated -5.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McClain County
Moore County, TX 55.6 Elevated 0.0
Habersham County, GA 55.6 Elevated -0.0
Labette County, KS 55.7 Elevated +0.0
Harrison County, OH 55.6 Elevated -0.0
Pulaski County, VA 55.6 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in McClain 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

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving McClain 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 McClain County, Oklahoma?

    McClain County has a County Distress Index score of 55.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,228th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McClain County?

    The primary driver of distress in McClain County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 78.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does McClain County compare to neighboring counties?

    McClain County (55.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Pottawatomie County, OK (70.3); Garvin County, OK (62.6); Cleveland 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). McClain County's score of 55.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    McClain 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 McClain County?

    McClain County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 47,072 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.