Jackson County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.6 | 146,389 people · 58th most distressed in Mississippi
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Jackson County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.6 — 667th 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 58th of 82 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jackson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 87.4 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 87.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 87
Consumer Credit Distress 75.0
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 84
Housing Cost Burden 66.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 74
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 62
Structural Poverty 41.1
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 8
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 40
Economic Vitality 23.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 30
Business Formation Rate 18
House Price Change (YoY) 48

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Jackson County, MS 64.6 Elevated —
Mobile County, AL 76.2 Serious +11.6
Harrison County, MS 73.8 Serious +9.2
Stone County, MS 65.3 Serious +0.7
George County, MS 56.4 Elevated -8.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Mercer County, WV 64.6 Elevated -0.0
Payne County, OK 64.6 Elevated +0.0
Mohave County, AZ 64.7 Elevated +0.0
Kershaw County, SC 64.7 Elevated +0.1
Apache County, AZ 64.5 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson County, Mississippi?

    Jackson County has a County Distress Index score of 64.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 667th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 87.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Jackson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson County (64.6) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Mobile County, AL (76.2); Harrison County, MS (73.8); Stone County, MS (65.3).

  • 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 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). Jackson County's score of 64.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Jackson 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 Jackson County?

    Jackson County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 146,389 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.