Madison County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.3 | 112,511 people · 80th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Madison County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.3 — 1252nd 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 80th of 82 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Madison County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 90.5 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 90.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Housing Cost Burden 70.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 93
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 54
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 65
Consumer Credit Distress 57.5
Debt in Collections 44
Medical Debt 42
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 57
Uninsured Rate 53
Subprime Credit Population 63
Economic Vitality 46.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 70
Rent-to-Income Ratio 27
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 74
Structural Poverty 10.1
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 25
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 4

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Madison County
Madison County, MS 55.3 Elevated —
Yazoo County, MS 84.8 Crisis +29.5
Hinds County, MS 83.6 Crisis +28.3
Holmes County, MS 82.7 Crisis +27.4
Attala County, MS 74.2 Serious +18.9
Leake County, MS 71.5 Serious +16.2
Scott County, MS 66.6 Serious +11.3
Rankin County, MS 63.7 Elevated +8.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Madison County
Huron County, OH 55.3 Elevated -0.0
Coweta County, GA 55.3 Elevated -0.0
Charlotte County, FL 55.4 Elevated +0.1
Washington County, OK 55.2 Elevated -0.1
Pickaway County, OH 55.2 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison County, Mississippi?

    Madison County has a County Distress Index score of 55.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,252nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 80th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Madison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Madison County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 90.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Madison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Madison County (55.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Yazoo County, MS (84.8); Hinds County, MS (83.6); Holmes County, MS (82.7).

  • 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). Madison County's score of 55.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Madison 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 Madison County?

    Madison County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 112,511 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.