Walker County, Alabama

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.2 | 64,728 people · 26th most distressed in Alabama
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Walker County, AL registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.2 — 973rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within Alabama, it ranks 26th of 67 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Walker County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 84.3 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 84.3
Uninsured Rate 75
Disability Rate 94
Debt & Delinquency 81.8
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 75
Student Loan Delinquency 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 86
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 91
Income & Poverty 59.4
Poverty Rate 76
Income vs. State Median 28
Child Poverty Rate 75
Housing Cost Burden 34.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 38
Homeownership Rate 33
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Employment & Wages 31.3
Unemployment Rate 3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 71

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Walker County
Walker County, AL 58.2 Elevated —
Marion County, AL 60.7 Elevated +2.5
Fayette County, AL 56.7 Elevated -1.5
Tuscaloosa County, AL 55.5 Elevated -2.7
Blount County, AL 55.0 Elevated -3.1
Jefferson County, AL 54.5 Elevated -3.6
Winston County, AL 54.3 Elevated -3.9
Cullman County, AL 50.4 Elevated -7.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Walker County
Calcasieu Parish, LA 58.2 Elevated -0.0
Onslow County, NC 58.3 Elevated +0.1
Lackawanna County, PA 58.3 Elevated +0.1
Rockingham County, NC 58.1 Elevated -0.1
Douglas County, GA 58.3 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Walker County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Walker County.

WALKER COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY
Jasper
205-221-4011 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing

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 Walker 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Walker County has a County Distress Index score of 58.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 973rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in Alabama out of 67 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Walker County?

    The primary driver of distress in Walker County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 84.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Walker County compare to neighboring counties?

    Walker County (58.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Marion County, AL (60.7); Fayette County, AL (56.7); Tuscaloosa County, AL (55.5).

  • 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 Walker County?

    Walker County, Alabama has a population of approximately 64,728 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.