Calhoun County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.1 | 12,685 people · 46th most distressed in Mississippi
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Calhoun County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.1 — 538th 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 46th 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. Calhoun County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 79.8
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 83
Structural Poverty 72.2
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 76
Income vs. State Median 61
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 93
Economic Vitality 54.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 66
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 33.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 11
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 57

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Calhoun County
Calhoun County, MS 67.1 Serious —
Grenada County, MS 74.1 Serious +7.0
Chickasaw County, MS 72.8 Serious +5.6
Yalobusha County, MS 69.2 Serious +2.1
Pontotoc County, MS 62.7 Elevated -4.4
Webster County, MS 61.6 Elevated -5.6
Lafayette County, MS 60.1 Elevated -7.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Calhoun County
Mingo County, WV 67.1 Serious 0.0
Covington County, AL 67.2 Serious +0.0
De Soto Parish, LA 67.2 Serious +0.0
Barren County, KY 67.1 Serious -0.0
Murray County, GA 67.2 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Calhoun 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 Calhoun 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 Calhoun County, Mississippi?

    Calhoun County has a County Distress Index score of 67.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 538th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Calhoun County?

    The primary driver of distress in Calhoun County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Calhoun County compare to neighboring counties?

    Calhoun County (67.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Grenada County, MS (74.1); Chickasaw County, MS (72.8); Yalobusha County, MS (69.2).

  • 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). Calhoun County's score of 67.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Calhoun 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 Calhoun County?

    Calhoun County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 12,685 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.