Holmes County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Crisis · 82.7 | 15,777 people · 9th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Holmes County, MS ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 82.7 — 35th 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 9th of 82 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Holmes 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
Structural Poverty 94.3
Unemployment Rate 89
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 88.4
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 63
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 95
Housing Cost Burden 71.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 57
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 55
Homeownership Rate 92
Economic Vitality 52.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 52

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Holmes County
Holmes County, MS 82.7 Crisis —
Yazoo County, MS 84.8 Crisis +2.1
Leflore County, MS 84.7 Crisis +2.0
Humphreys County, MS 79.7 Serious -2.9
Attala County, MS 74.2 Serious -8.4
Carroll County, MS 58.4 Elevated -24.3
Madison County, MS 55.3 Elevated -27.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Holmes County
Edgecombe County, NC 82.6 Crisis -0.1
Charlton County, GA 82.5 Crisis -0.1
Hertford County, NC 82.9 Crisis +0.3
Crisp County, GA 83.1 Crisis +0.4
Vance County, NC 82.3 Crisis -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Holmes 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 Holmes 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 Holmes County, Mississippi?

    Holmes County has a County Distress Index score of 82.7 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 35th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Holmes County?

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

    Holmes County (82.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Yazoo County, MS (84.8); Leflore County, MS (84.7); Humphreys County, MS (79.7).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Holmes County's score of 82.7 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Holmes 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 Holmes County?

    Holmes County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 15,777 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.