Covington County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.7 | 18,059 people · 70th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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

Covington County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.7 — 907th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Mississippi, it ranks 70th of 82 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Covington County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 81.4 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 81.4
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 39
Auto Loan Delinquency 94
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 95
Legal Distress 80.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Structural Poverty 66.7
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 90
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 72
Economic Vitality 37.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 21
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 16.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 11
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Covington County
Covington County, MS 60.7 Elevated —
Jefferson Davis County, MS 75.3 Serious +14.6
Forrest County, MS 74.6 Serious +13.8
Jones County, MS 70.8 Serious +10.1
Simpson County, MS 68.8 Serious +8.1
Lamar County, MS 57.5 Elevated -3.2
Smith County, MS 53.5 Elevated -7.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Covington County
Miami County, IN 60.7 Elevated 0.0
McDonough County, IL 60.7 Elevated -0.0
Butler County, KY 60.7 Elevated +0.0
Carroll County, KY 60.7 Elevated +0.0
Guernsey County, OH 60.7 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Covington 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 Covington 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 Covington County, Mississippi?

    Covington County has a County Distress Index score of 60.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 907th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 70th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Covington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Covington County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 81.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Covington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Covington County (60.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jefferson Davis County, MS (75.3); Forrest County, MS (74.6); Jones County, MS (70.8).

  • 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 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). Covington County's score of 60.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Covington 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 Covington County?

    Covington County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 18,059 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.