Claiborne County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.2 | 8,617 people · 41st most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Claiborne County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.2 — 429th 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 41st of 82 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Claiborne County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 93.4 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 93.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 93
Consumer Credit Distress 88.6
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 94
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 82.9
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 34.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 10
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Housing Cost Burden 25.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 91
Homeownership Rate 46

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Claiborne County
Claiborne County, MS 69.2 Serious —
Hinds County, MS 83.6 Crisis +14.4
Copiah County, MS 74.2 Serious +4.9
Warren County, MS 73.8 Serious +4.6
Tensas Parish, LA 71.2 Serious +2.0
Jefferson County, MS 69.0 Serious -0.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Claiborne County
Baker County, GA 69.3 Serious +0.0
Jones County, NC 69.1 Serious -0.1
Jefferson County, MS 69.0 Serious -0.2
Treutlen County, GA 69.5 Serious +0.3
Foard County, TX 69.5 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Claiborne County

Find an Attorney

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 Claiborne County residents at no cost.

Mississippi Center for Legal Services 1-800-498-1804
North Mississippi Rural Legal Services 1-800-898-8731

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Mississippi →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Claiborne County, Mississippi?

    Claiborne County has a County Distress Index score of 69.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 429th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Claiborne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Claiborne County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 93.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Claiborne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Claiborne County (69.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Hinds County, MS (83.6); Copiah County, MS (74.2); Warren County, MS (73.8).

  • 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). Claiborne County's score of 69.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Claiborne 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 Claiborne County?

    Claiborne County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 8,617 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.