Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 75.3 | 10,969 people · 22nd most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Jefferson Davis County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 75.3 — 176th 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 22nd of 82 counties. It scores higher 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. Jefferson Davis County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.9 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 93
Structural Poverty 85.9
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 84.4
Debt in Collections 91
Medical Debt 51
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 95
Housing Cost Burden 59.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 12
Economic Vitality 38.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 21
Rent-to-Income Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 8
House Price Change (YoY) 52

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson Davis County
Jefferson Davis County, MS 75.3 Serious —
Lawrence County, MS 74.6 Serious -0.7
Simpson County, MS 68.8 Serious -6.5
Marion County, MS 62.5 Elevated -12.8
Covington County, MS 60.7 Elevated -14.6
Lamar County, MS 57.5 Elevated -17.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson Davis County
Colleton County, SC 75.3 Serious -0.0
Northampton County, NC 75.4 Serious +0.0
Wayne County, MO 75.2 Serious -0.1
Peach County, GA 75.5 Serious +0.2
Calhoun County, FL 75.5 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

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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 Davis 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 Davis County, Mississippi?

    Jefferson Davis County has a County Distress Index score of 75.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 176th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson Davis County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson Davis County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Jefferson Davis County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson Davis County (75.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Lawrence County, MS (74.6); Simpson County, MS (68.8); Marion County, MS (62.5).

  • 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 Davis County's score of 75.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Jefferson Davis 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 Davis County?

    Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 10,969 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.