Issaquena County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.8 | 1,256 people · 61st most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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

Issaquena County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.8 — 719th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Mississippi, it ranks 61st of 82 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Issaquena County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 89.4 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 89.4
Unemployment Rate 89
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 73
Economic Vitality 80.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 90
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Consumer Credit Distress 78.8
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 66
Legal Distress 25.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 26
Housing Cost Burden 21.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 7
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 88

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Issaquena County
Issaquena County, MS 63.8 Elevated —
Washington County, MS 86.1 Crisis +22.3
Yazoo County, MS 84.8 Crisis +21.0
East Carroll Parish, LA 82.9 Crisis +19.1
Sharkey County, MS 79.7 Serious +15.9
Chicot County, AR 76.1 Serious +12.3
Warren County, MS 73.8 Serious +10.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Issaquena County
Delta County, TX 63.8 Elevated +0.0
Lincoln County, GA 63.7 Elevated -0.1
Gallatin County, KY 63.6 Elevated -0.2
Haskell County, TX 63.5 Elevated -0.3
Baylor County, TX 64.1 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Issaquena 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 Issaquena 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 Issaquena County, Mississippi?

    Issaquena County has a County Distress Index score of 63.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 719th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 61st in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Issaquena County?

    The primary driver of distress in Issaquena County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 89.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Issaquena County compare to neighboring counties?

    Issaquena County (63.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Washington County, MS (86.1); Yazoo County, MS (84.8); East Carroll Parish, LA (82.9).

  • 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). Issaquena County's score of 63.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Issaquena 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 Issaquena County?

    Issaquena County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 1,256 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.