Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.5 | 237,373 people · 37th most distressed in Alabama
American Default Research

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Tuscaloosa County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.5 — 1177th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Alabama, it ranks 37th of 67 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Tuscaloosa County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 81.2 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 81.2
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 47
Student Loan Delinquency 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 89
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 98
Housing Cost Burden 77.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 88
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 67
Income & Poverty 60.0
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 21
Child Poverty Rate 76
Community Vulnerability 30.1
Uninsured Rate 37
Disability Rate 23
Employment & Wages 28.9
Unemployment Rate 4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 36
Business Formation Rate 46

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Tuscaloosa County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Tuscaloosa County
Tuscaloosa County, AL 55.5 Elevated —
Greene County, AL 73.0 Serious +17.5
Hale County, AL 66.6 Serious +11.1
Bibb County, AL 66.0 Serious +10.5
Pickens County, AL 62.5 Elevated +7.0
Walker County, AL 58.2 Elevated +2.7
Fayette County, AL 56.7 Elevated +1.2
Jefferson County, AL 54.5 Elevated -1.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Tuscaloosa County
Grant County, WA 55.5 Elevated +0.0
Putnam County, TN 55.6 Elevated +0.1
Sullivan County, TN 55.4 Elevated -0.1
Washington County, TN 55.3 Elevated -0.2
Lycoming County, PA 55.8 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Tuscaloosa County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Tuscaloosa County.

CITY OF TUSCALOOSA - OFFICE OF COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES
Tuscaloosa
205-248-5080 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingHomeless/Displacement
COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS OF WEST ALABAMA, INC.
Tuscaloosa
205-469-0397 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

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 Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa County, Alabama?

    Tuscaloosa County has a County Distress Index score of 55.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,177th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 37th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Tuscaloosa County?

    The primary driver of distress in Tuscaloosa County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 81.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Tuscaloosa County compare to neighboring counties?

    Tuscaloosa County (55.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Greene County, AL (73.0); Hale County, AL (66.6); Bibb County, AL (66.0).

  • 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 Tuscaloosa County?

    Tuscaloosa County, Alabama has a population of approximately 237,373 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.