Hancock County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.5 | 46,159 people · 79th most distressed in Mississippi
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Hancock County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.5 — 1237th 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 79th 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. Hancock County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 68.5 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 68.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 68
Consumer Credit Distress 63.1
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 49
Auto Loan Delinquency 67
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Uninsured Rate 60
Subprime Credit Population 73
Housing Cost Burden 50.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 25
Structural Poverty 46.6
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 14
Child Poverty Rate 62
Disability Rate 74
Transfer Income Dependency 57
Economic Vitality 30.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 21
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 15
House Price Change (YoY) 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hancock County
Hancock County, MS 55.5 Elevated —
St. Bernard Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis +24.8
Harrison County, MS 73.8 Serious +18.3
Pearl River County, MS 65.6 Serious +10.1
Stone County, MS 65.3 Serious +9.8
St. Tammany Parish, LA 59.3 Elevated +3.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hancock County
Laclede County, MO 55.5 Elevated 0.0
Highland County, OH 55.5 Elevated 0.0
Switzerland County, IN 55.5 Elevated -0.0
Logan County, AR 55.5 Elevated -0.0
Harrison County, OH 55.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hancock County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Hancock County.

HANCOCK HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER
Bay Saint Louis
228-463-8887 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in Mississippi →

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 Hancock 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Hancock County, Mississippi?

    Hancock County has a County Distress Index score of 55.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,237th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 79th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hancock County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hancock County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 68.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Hancock County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hancock County (55.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: St. Bernard Parish, LA (80.3); Harrison County, MS (73.8); Pearl River County, MS (65.6).

  • 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). Hancock County's score of 55.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Hancock 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 Hancock County?

    Hancock County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 46,159 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.