Alcorn County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.3 | 34,135 people · 52nd most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Alcorn County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.3 — 584th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Mississippi, it ranks 52nd of 82 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Alcorn County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 96.1 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 96.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 69.6
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 86
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 86
Structural Poverty 65.9
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 75
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 77
Housing Cost Burden 61.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 69
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 83
Economic Vitality 37.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 17
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 79

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Alcorn County
Alcorn County, MS 66.3 Serious —
Hardeman County, TN 77.8 Serious +11.5
Tippah County, MS 63.7 Elevated -2.6
Hardin County, TN 62.1 Elevated -4.2
Prentiss County, MS 60.5 Elevated -5.9
McNairy County, TN 59.5 Elevated -6.8
Tishomingo County, MS 58.1 Elevated -8.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Alcorn County
Crenshaw County, AL 66.3 Serious +0.0
Newberry County, SC 66.3 Serious -0.0
Geary County, KS 66.4 Serious +0.1
Tattnall County, GA 66.2 Serious -0.1
Choctaw County, AL 66.2 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Alcorn County

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

Mississippi Bar Lawyer Referral 601-948-4471

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Alcorn County residents at no cost.

Mississippi Center for Legal Services 1-800-498-1804
North Mississippi Rural Legal Services 1-800-898-8731

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Alcorn County, Mississippi?

    Alcorn County has a County Distress Index score of 66.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 584th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 52nd in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Alcorn County?

    The primary driver of distress in Alcorn County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 96.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Alcorn County compare to neighboring counties?

    Alcorn County (66.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hardeman County, TN (77.8); Tippah County, MS (63.7); Hardin County, TN (62.1).

  • 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 Serious 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). Alcorn County's score of 66.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Alcorn 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 Alcorn County?

    Alcorn County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 34,135 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.