Chickasaw County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.8 | 16,866 people · 34th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Chickasaw County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.8 — 277th 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 34th 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. Chickasaw 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 80.1
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 77
Uninsured Rate 71
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 73.7
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 82
Disability Rate 53
Transfer Income Dependency 93
Housing Cost Burden 58.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 33
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 79
Economic Vitality 51.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Chickasaw County
Chickasaw County, MS 72.8 Serious —
Clay County, MS 73.3 Serious +0.5
Calhoun County, MS 67.1 Serious -5.6
Lee County, MS 66.9 Serious -5.9
Monroe County, MS 65.4 Serious -7.4
Pontotoc County, MS 62.7 Elevated -10.0
Webster County, MS 61.6 Elevated -11.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Chickasaw County
Knox County, KY 72.8 Serious 0.0
Allen Parish, LA 72.7 Serious -0.0
Bryan County, OK 72.8 Serious +0.0
Jackson County, AR 72.8 Serious +0.1
Evans County, GA 72.6 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chickasaw 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 Chickasaw 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 Chickasaw County, Mississippi?

    Chickasaw County has a County Distress Index score of 72.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 277th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chickasaw County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chickasaw 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 Chickasaw County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chickasaw County (72.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Clay County, MS (73.3); Calhoun County, MS (67.1); Lee County, MS (66.9).

  • 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). Chickasaw County's score of 72.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Chickasaw 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 Chickasaw County?

    Chickasaw County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 16,866 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.