Clay County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.3 | 18,206 people · 33rd most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Clay County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.3 — 258th 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 33rd of 82 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clay 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 87.6
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 81
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 68
Subprime Credit Population 95
Housing Cost Burden 63.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 71
Homeownership Rate 68
Structural Poverty 57.6
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 88
Income vs. State Median 33
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 12
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Economic Vitality 30.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 30
Business Formation Rate 7
House Price Change (YoY) 95

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Clay County, MS 73.3 Serious —
Oktibbeha County, MS 74.6 Serious +1.4
Chickasaw County, MS 72.8 Serious -0.5
Lowndes County, MS 67.3 Serious -5.9
Monroe County, MS 65.4 Serious -7.9
Webster County, MS 61.6 Elevated -11.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clay County
Zapata County, TX 73.3 Serious +0.0
Hampton County, SC 73.3 Serious +0.0
Long County, GA 73.2 Serious -0.0
Poinsett County, AR 73.2 Serious -0.1
Tate County, MS 73.4 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

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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 Clay 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 Clay County, Mississippi?

    Clay County has a County Distress Index score of 73.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 258th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 33rd in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clay County?

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

    Clay County (73.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Oktibbeha County, MS (74.6); Chickasaw County, MS (72.8); Lowndes County, MS (67.3).

  • 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 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). Clay County's score of 73.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Clay 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 Clay County?

    Clay County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 18,206 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.