DeSoto County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.1 | 193,247 people · 47th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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DeSoto County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.1 — 540th 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 47th of 82 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. DeSoto County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 98.8 — worse than roughly 99% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 98.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 81.4
Debt in Collections 73
Medical Debt 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 52
Subprime Credit Population 90
Housing Cost Burden 64.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 70
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 74
Homeownership Rate 30
Economic Vitality 55.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 10
House Price Change (YoY) 65
Structural Poverty 12.8
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 14
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 21
Disability Rate 19
Transfer Income Dependency 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. DeSoto County
DeSoto County, MS 67.1 Serious —
Tunica County, MS 88.5 Crisis +21.4
Crittenden County, AR 85.8 Crisis +18.7
Shelby County, TN 81.3 Crisis +14.2
Marshall County, MS 79.7 Serious +12.5
Tate County, MS 73.4 Serious +6.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. DeSoto County
Doña Ana County, NM 67.1 Serious -0.0
Glynn County, GA 67.2 Serious +0.1
Bossier Parish, LA 67.0 Serious -0.1
Laurel County, KY 67.3 Serious +0.2
Lowndes County, MS 67.3 Serious +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for DeSoto 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 DeSoto 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 DeSoto County, Mississippi?

    DeSoto County has a County Distress Index score of 67.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 540th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in DeSoto County?

    The primary driver of distress in DeSoto County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 98.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does DeSoto County compare to neighboring counties?

    DeSoto County (67.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Tunica County, MS (88.5); Crittenden County, AR (85.8); Shelby County, TN (81.3).

  • 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). DeSoto County's score of 67.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    DeSoto 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 DeSoto County?

    DeSoto County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 193,247 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.