Madison County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.5 | 412,600 people · 65th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Madison County, AL falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.5 — 2565th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Alabama, it ranks 65th of 67 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Madison County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 63.4 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 63.4
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 67
Student Loan Delinquency 57
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 48
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Housing Cost Burden 51.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 69
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 24
Homeownership Rate 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 21
Community Vulnerability 37.3
Uninsured Rate 46
Disability Rate 28
Income & Poverty 18.0
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 2
Child Poverty Rate 27
Employment & Wages 11.6
Unemployment Rate 1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 10
Business Formation Rate 24

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Madison County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Madison County
Madison County, AL 36.5 Normal —
Jackson County, AL 55.1 Elevated +18.6
Lincoln County, TN 52.1 Elevated +15.6
Franklin County, TN 49.8 Normal +13.3
Marshall County, AL 48.8 Normal +12.3
Morgan County, AL 46.9 Normal +10.4
Limestone County, AL 34.4 Healthy -2.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Madison County
Will County, IL 36.4 Normal -0.1
Larimer County, CO 36.4 Normal -0.1
Washington County, OR 36.1 Normal -0.3
Albany County, NY 36.9 Normal +0.4
Westchester County, NY 37.0 Normal +0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Madison County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Madison County.

COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP, HUNTSVILLE/MADISON & LIMESTONE COUNTIES, INC
Huntsville
256-851-9800 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
FAMILY SERVICES CENTER, INC.
Huntsville
256-551-1610 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
NID-HCA MADISON
Madison
256-850-3132 Website
Home Improvement/RehabPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Alabama →

Find an Attorney

Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-392-5660

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Madison County residents at no cost.

Legal Services Alabama 1-866-456-4995
Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-392-5660

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 Alabama →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Madison County, Alabama?

    Madison County has a County Distress Index score of 36.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,565th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 65th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Madison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Madison County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 63.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Madison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Madison County (36.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jackson County, AL (55.1); Lincoln County, TN (52.1); Franklin County, TN (49.8).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Madison County?

    Madison County, Alabama has a population of approximately 412,600 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.