Clarke County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.1 | 15,228 people · 39th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Clarke County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.1 — 384th 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 39th of 82 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clarke County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 81.8 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 81.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Consumer Credit Distress 81.8
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 50
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 87
Structural Poverty 72.5
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 57
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Economic Vitality 51.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Rent-to-Income Ratio 56
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 47.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 88
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 34
Homeownership Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clarke County
Clarke County, MS 70.1 Serious —
Lauderdale County, MS 76.5 Serious +6.4
Wayne County, MS 75.9 Serious +5.8
Jasper County, MS 66.5 Serious -3.5
Choctaw County, AL 66.2 Serious -3.9
Newton County, MS 64.0 Elevated -6.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clarke County
New Madrid County, MO 70.1 Serious -0.0
Estill County, KY 70.0 Serious -0.1
Morris County, TX 70.2 Serious +0.1
St. Helena Parish, LA 70.0 Serious -0.1
Duplin County, NC 70.0 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clarke 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 Clarke 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 Clarke County, Mississippi?

    Clarke County has a County Distress Index score of 70.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 384th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clarke County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clarke County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 81.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Clarke County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clarke County (70.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Lauderdale County, MS (76.5); Wayne County, MS (75.9); Jasper County, MS (66.5).

  • 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 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). Clarke County's score of 70.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Clarke 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 Clarke County?

    Clarke County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 15,228 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.