Woods County, Oklahoma

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.4 | 8,564 people · 63rd most distressed in Oklahoma
American Default Research

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Woods County, OK registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.4 — 1552nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Oklahoma, it ranks 63rd 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. Woods County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 76.1 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 76.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 86
Structural Poverty 50.0
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 58
Disability Rate 59
Transfer Income Dependency 37
Economic Vitality 47.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 62
House Price Change (YoY) 58
Consumer Credit Distress 45.5
Debt in Collections 45
Medical Debt 62
Auto Loan Delinquency 29
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 53
Subprime Credit Population 41
Legal Distress 8.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Woods County
Woods County, OK 50.4 Elevated —
Woodward County, OK 48.3 Normal -2.0
Alfalfa County, OK 47.6 Normal -2.7
Comanche County, KS 46.1 Normal -4.3
Harper County, OK 37.7 Normal -12.6
Major County, OK 35.4 Normal -15.0
Barber County, KS 30.8 Healthy -19.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Woods County
Luce County, MI 50.4 Elevated +0.0
San Saba County, TX 50.4 Elevated +0.0
Prairie County, AR 50.5 Elevated +0.1
Dawes County, NE 50.2 Elevated -0.2
Houston County, TN 50.6 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Woods County

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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 Woods County, Oklahoma?

    Woods County has a County Distress Index score of 50.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,552nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 63rd in Oklahoma out of 77 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Woods County?

    The primary driver of distress in Woods County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Woods County compare to neighboring counties?

    Woods County (50.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Woodward County, OK (48.3); Alfalfa County, OK (47.6); Comanche County, KS (46.1).

  • 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). Woods County's score of 50.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Woods 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 Woods County?

    Woods County, Oklahoma has a population of approximately 8,564 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.