Jefferson County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.0 | 6,941 people · 42nd most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Jefferson County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.0 — 439th 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 42nd of 82 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jefferson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.5 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Structural Poverty 86.7
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 94
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 85.1
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 95
Economic Vitality 47.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 35
Rent-to-Income Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Housing Cost Burden 24.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 7
Homeownership Rate 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, MS 69.0 Serious —
Adams County, MS 76.9 Serious +7.9
Copiah County, MS 74.2 Serious +5.2
Tensas Parish, LA 71.2 Serious +2.2
Claiborne County, MS 69.2 Serious +0.2
Lincoln County, MS 64.9 Elevated -4.1
Franklin County, MS 63.2 Elevated -5.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Jones County, NC 69.1 Serious +0.1
Irwin County, GA 68.8 Serious -0.2
Claiborne County, MS 69.2 Serious +0.2
Baker County, GA 69.3 Serious +0.3
Scott County, AR 68.7 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, Mississippi?

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 69.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 439th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (69.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Adams County, MS (76.9); Copiah County, MS (74.2); Tensas Parish, LA (71.2).

  • 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 Serious 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). Jefferson County's score of 69.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 6,941 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.