Seminole County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Serious · 77.0 | 23,565 people · 1st most distressed in Oklahoma
American Default Research

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Seminole County, OK shows significant household financial distress with a score of 77.0 — 127th 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 1st of 77 counties. It scores higher than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Seminole County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 90.3 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 90.3
Debt in Collections 92
Medical Debt 90
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 96
Subprime Credit Population 92
Structural Poverty 85.5
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Legal Distress 85.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Economic Vitality 58.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 73
House Price Change (YoY) 99
Housing Cost Burden 48.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 43
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 50
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 26
Homeownership Rate 72

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Seminole County
Seminole County, OK 77.0 Serious —
Okfuskee County, OK 71.8 Serious -5.2
Pottawatomie County, OK 70.3 Serious -6.7
Hughes County, OK 63.2 Elevated -13.8
Pontotoc County, OK 50.5 Elevated -26.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Seminole County
Adams County, MS 76.9 Serious -0.1
Mississippi County, AR 76.8 Serious -0.2
Telfair County, GA 77.3 Serious +0.2
Pike County, MS 77.3 Serious +0.3
Terry County, TX 76.8 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

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Oklahoma Bar Association Lawyer Referral 405-416-7000

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Seminole County, Oklahoma?

    Seminole County has a County Distress Index score of 77.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 127th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Seminole County?

    The primary driver of distress in Seminole County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 90.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Seminole County compare to neighboring counties?

    Seminole County (77.0) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Okfuskee County, OK (71.8); Pottawatomie County, OK (70.3); Hughes County, OK (63.2).

  • 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). Seminole County's score of 77.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Seminole 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 Seminole County?

    Seminole County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 23,565 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.