Franklin County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.2 | 7,610 people · 64th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Franklin County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.2 — 762nd 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 64th 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. Franklin County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.3 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Consumer Credit Distress 76.7
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 60
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 84
Structural Poverty 76.3
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 81
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 90
Economic Vitality 32.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 15
Rent-to-Income Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 42
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Housing Cost Burden 29.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Franklin County, MS 63.2 Elevated —
Wilkinson County, MS 81.5 Crisis +18.2
Adams County, MS 76.9 Serious +13.7
Jefferson County, MS 69.0 Serious +5.8
Amite County, MS 65.7 Serious +2.5
Lincoln County, MS 64.9 Elevated +1.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin County
Stephens County, TX 63.4 Elevated +0.2
Cleveland County, AR 63.5 Elevated +0.3
Haskell County, TX 63.5 Elevated +0.3
Gallatin County, KY 63.6 Elevated +0.4
Montgomery County, GA 62.8 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County, Mississippi?

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 63.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 762nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 64th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (63.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Wilkinson County, MS (81.5); Adams County, MS (76.9); Jefferson County, MS (69.0).

  • 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). Franklin County's score of 63.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Franklin 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 Franklin County?

    Franklin County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 7,610 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.