Carroll County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.4 | 9,535 people · 75th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Carroll County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.4 — 1048th 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 75th of 82 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Carroll County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 79.6 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 79.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Consumer Credit Distress 68.3
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Uninsured Rate 54
Subprime Credit Population 85
Structural Poverty 61.5
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 74
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 80
Transfer Income Dependency 77
Economic Vitality 37.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 36
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Housing Cost Burden 36.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 35
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 93
Homeownership Rate 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Carroll County
Carroll County, MS 58.4 Elevated —
Leflore County, MS 84.7 Crisis +26.3
Holmes County, MS 82.7 Crisis +24.3
Montgomery County, MS 79.3 Serious +20.9
Attala County, MS 74.2 Serious +15.9
Grenada County, MS 74.1 Serious +15.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Carroll County
Briscoe County, TX 58.4 Elevated +0.0
Storey County, NV 58.2 Elevated -0.1
Dewey County, SD 58.2 Elevated -0.1
Charles City County, VA 58.6 Elevated +0.3
Chattahoochee County, GA 58.1 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Carroll 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 Carroll 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 Carroll County, Mississippi?

    Carroll County has a County Distress Index score of 58.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,048th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 75th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Carroll County?

    The primary driver of distress in Carroll County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 79.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Carroll County compare to neighboring counties?

    Carroll County (58.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Leflore County, MS (84.7); Holmes County, MS (82.7); Montgomery County, MS (79.3).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Carroll County's score of 58.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Carroll 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 Carroll County?

    Carroll County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 9,535 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.