Stephens County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.3 | 44,014 people · 45th most distressed in Oklahoma
American Default Research

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

Stephens County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.3 — 998th 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 45th 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. Stephens County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 71.6 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 71.6
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 91
Auto Loan Delinquency 59
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Uninsured Rate 83
Subprime Credit Population 73
Structural Poverty 62.8
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 61
Disability Rate 85
Transfer Income Dependency 67
Legal Distress 62.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 62
Housing Cost Burden 44.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 43
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 50
Economic Vitality 24.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 38
House Price Change (YoY) 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Stephens County
Stephens County, OK 59.3 Elevated —
Comanche County, OK 71.9 Serious +12.6
Carter County, OK 67.7 Serious +8.4
Cotton County, OK 64.7 Elevated +5.4
Garvin County, OK 62.6 Elevated +3.3
Jefferson County, OK 57.7 Elevated -1.6
Grady County, OK 54.5 Elevated -4.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Stephens County
Independence County, AR 59.3 Elevated -0.0
Jasper County, SC 59.3 Elevated -0.1
Henderson County, KY 59.4 Elevated +0.1
Gonzales County, TX 59.4 Elevated +0.1
Coosa County, AL 59.2 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Stephens 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 Stephens 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 Stephens County, Oklahoma?

    Stephens County has a County Distress Index score of 59.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 998th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 45th in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Stephens County?

    The primary driver of distress in Stephens County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 71.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Stephens County compare to neighboring counties?

    Stephens County (59.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Comanche County, OK (71.9); Carter County, OK (67.7); Cotton County, OK (64.7).

  • 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). Stephens County's score of 59.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Stephens 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 Stephens County?

    Stephens County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 44,014 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.