Amite County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.7 | 12,442 people · 53rd most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Amite County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.7 — 610th 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 53rd of 82 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Amite County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 88.9 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 88.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 89
Structural Poverty 80.5
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 89
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 82
Consumer Credit Distress 75.6
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 89
Housing Cost Burden 39.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 21
Homeownership Rate 7
Economic Vitality 37.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 34
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Amite County
Amite County, MS 65.7 Serious —
Wilkinson County, MS 81.5 Crisis +15.7
Tangipahoa Parish, LA 77.8 Serious +12.1
Pike County, MS 77.3 Serious +11.6
St. Helena Parish, LA 70.0 Serious +4.3
Lincoln County, MS 64.9 Elevated -0.8
Franklin County, MS 63.2 Elevated -2.5
East Feliciana Parish, LA 49.3 Normal -16.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Amite County
Lawrence County, KY 65.7 Serious +0.0
Dixie County, FL 65.6 Serious -0.1
Boyd County, KY 65.8 Serious +0.1
Suwannee County, FL 65.6 Serious -0.1
Howard County, TX 65.5 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Amite 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 Amite 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 Amite County, Mississippi?

    Amite County has a County Distress Index score of 65.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 610th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Amite County?

    The primary driver of distress in Amite County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 88.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Amite County compare to neighboring counties?

    Amite County (65.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Wilkinson County, MS (81.5); Tangipahoa Parish, LA (77.8); Pike County, MS (77.3).

  • 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). Amite County's score of 65.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Amite 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 Amite County?

    Amite County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 12,442 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.