Bolivar County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Crisis · 84.7 | 28,968 people · 5th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Bolivar County, MS ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 84.7 — 20th 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 5th of 82 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bolivar County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.0 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Consumer Credit Distress 91.8
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 78
Auto Loan Delinquency 99
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 99
Structural Poverty 84.9
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 99
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 99
Disability Rate 73
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Housing Cost Burden 83.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 82
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 92
Economic Vitality 45.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 80

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bolivar County
Bolivar County, MS 84.7 Crisis —
Washington County, MS 86.1 Crisis +1.4
Coahoma County, MS 85.7 Crisis +1.0
Phillips County, AR 85.5 Crisis +0.8
Desha County, AR 79.8 Serious -4.9
Sunflower County, MS 78.7 Serious -6.0
Chicot County, AR 76.1 Serious -8.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bolivar County
Leflore County, MS 84.7 Crisis 0.0
Yazoo County, MS 84.8 Crisis +0.1
Dallas County, AL 84.6 Crisis -0.1
Gadsden County, FL 84.5 Crisis -0.2
Baldwin County, GA 85.4 Crisis +0.7

Download Data

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

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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 Bolivar 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 Bolivar County, Mississippi?

    Bolivar County has a County Distress Index score of 84.7 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 20th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bolivar County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bolivar County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Bolivar County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bolivar County (84.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Washington County, MS (86.1); Coahoma County, MS (85.7); Phillips County, AR (85.5).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Bolivar County's score of 84.7 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Bolivar 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 Bolivar County?

    Bolivar County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 28,968 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.