Muskogee County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Serious · 76.3 | 66,677 people · 2nd most distressed in Oklahoma
American Default Research

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Muskogee County, OK shows significant household financial distress with a score of 76.3 — 146th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Oklahoma, it ranks 2nd of 77 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Muskogee County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 85.6 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 85.6
Debt in Collections 86
Medical Debt 79
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Uninsured Rate 86
Subprime Credit Population 85
Structural Poverty 83.2
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 88
Income vs. State Median 68
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Legal Distress 79.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Housing Cost Burden 69.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 69
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 66
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 59
Homeownership Rate 81
Economic Vitality 34.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 14
Rent-to-Income Ratio 56
Business Formation Rate 54
House Price Change (YoY) 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Muskogee County
Muskogee County, OK 76.3 Serious —
Sequoyah County, OK 75.0 Serious -1.4
Okmulgee County, OK 74.8 Serious -1.6
McIntosh County, OK 71.9 Serious -4.4
Cherokee County, OK 68.1 Serious -8.3
Haskell County, OK 65.3 Serious -11.1
Wagoner County, OK 49.6 Normal -26.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Muskogee County
Madison County, TN 76.4 Serious +0.0
Montgomery County, AL 76.3 Serious -0.1
Lauderdale County, MS 76.5 Serious +0.2
Rapides Parish, LA 76.5 Serious +0.2
St. Landry Parish, LA 76.1 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Muskogee 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 Muskogee County, Oklahoma?

    Muskogee County has a County Distress Index score of 76.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 146th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Muskogee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Muskogee County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 85.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Muskogee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Muskogee County (76.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Sequoyah County, OK (75.0); Okmulgee County, OK (74.8); McIntosh County, OK (71.9).

  • 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). Muskogee County's score of 76.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Muskogee 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 Muskogee County?

    Muskogee County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 66,677 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.