Kemper County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.3 | 8,584 people · 44th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Kemper County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.3 — 472nd 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 44th of 82 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Kemper County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.2 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Structural Poverty 87.9
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 94
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 84.4
Debt in Collections 73
Medical Debt 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Uninsured Rate 87
Subprime Credit Population 95
Economic Vitality 45.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 36
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 26
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Housing Cost Burden 23.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 10
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 19
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Kemper County
Kemper County, MS 68.3 Serious —
Noxubee County, MS 83.5 Crisis +15.1
Sumter County, AL 76.7 Serious +8.4
Lauderdale County, MS 76.5 Serious +8.2
Winston County, MS 74.1 Serious +5.8
Neshoba County, MS 70.8 Serious +2.4
Newton County, MS 64.0 Elevated -4.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Kemper County
Lafayette County, AR 68.3 Serious -0.0
Clinch County, GA 68.4 Serious +0.1
Hyde County, NC 68.1 Serious -0.2
Dickens County, TX 68.5 Serious +0.2
Duval County, TX 68.7 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Kemper 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 Kemper 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 Kemper County, Mississippi?

    Kemper County has a County Distress Index score of 68.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 472nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Kemper County?

    The primary driver of distress in Kemper County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Kemper County compare to neighboring counties?

    Kemper County (68.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Noxubee County, MS (83.5); Sumter County, AL (76.7); Lauderdale County, MS (76.5).

  • 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). Kemper County's score of 68.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Kemper 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 Kemper County?

    Kemper County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 8,584 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.