McCurtain County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.1 | 30,660 people · 30th most distressed in Oklahoma
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McCurtain County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.1 — 705th 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 30th of 77 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. McCurtain County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 84.6 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 84.6
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 91
Income vs. State Median 82
Child Poverty Rate 89
Disability Rate 90
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Consumer Credit Distress 80.6
Debt in Collections 88
Medical Debt 89
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Uninsured Rate 94
Subprime Credit Population 91
Economic Vitality 48.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 68
Business Formation Rate 45
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 34.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 30
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 63
Legal Distress 30.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McCurtain County
McCurtain County, OK 64.1 Elevated —
Bowie County, TX 74.3 Serious +10.2
Red River County, TX 74.2 Serious +10.1
Choctaw County, OK 71.3 Serious +7.2
Le Flore County, OK 70.5 Serious +6.4
Little River County, AR 69.7 Serious +5.6
Pushmataha County, OK 65.4 Serious +1.3
Sevier County, AR 62.9 Elevated -1.2
Polk County, AR 56.1 Elevated -8.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McCurtain County
Caroline County, MD 64.1 Elevated -0.0
Waynesboro city, VA 64.1 Elevated -0.0
Franklin County, GA 64.1 Elevated +0.0
DeWitt County, TX 64.2 Elevated +0.1
Henry County, KY 64.0 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in McCurtain 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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Legal aid organizations serving McCurtain 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 McCurtain County, Oklahoma?

    McCurtain County has a County Distress Index score of 64.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 705th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 30th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McCurtain County?

    The primary driver of distress in McCurtain County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 84.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does McCurtain County compare to neighboring counties?

    McCurtain County (64.1) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Bowie County, TX (74.3); Red River County, TX (74.2); Choctaw County, OK (71.3).

  • 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). McCurtain County's score of 64.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    McCurtain 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 McCurtain County?

    McCurtain County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 30,660 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.