Marion County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.5 | 24,224 people · 66th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Marion County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.5 — 802nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Mississippi, it ranks 66th 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. Marion County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 80.5 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 80.5
Debt in Collections 68
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 85
Subprime Credit Population 92
Structural Poverty 75.3
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 90
Income vs. State Median 60
Child Poverty Rate 84
Disability Rate 88
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Legal Distress 74.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 74
Economic Vitality 27.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 14
Rent-to-Income Ratio 58
Business Formation Rate 26
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 26.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Marion County, MS 62.5 Elevated —
Jefferson Davis County, MS 75.3 Serious +12.8
Washington Parish, LA 75.0 Serious +12.5
Lawrence County, MS 74.6 Serious +12.1
Pearl River County, MS 65.6 Serious +3.1
Walthall County, MS 64.4 Elevated +1.9
Lamar County, MS 57.5 Elevated -5.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Robertson County, TX 62.5 Elevated 0.0
Benton County, MO 62.5 Elevated +0.0
Jones County, GA 62.4 Elevated -0.1
Garvin County, OK 62.6 Elevated +0.1
Union County, FL 62.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

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Mississippi Bar Lawyer Referral 601-948-4471

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Marion 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 Marion County, Mississippi?

    Marion County has a County Distress Index score of 62.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 802nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 66th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marion County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marion County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 80.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Marion County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marion County (62.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jefferson Davis County, MS (75.3); Washington Parish, LA (75.0); Lawrence County, MS (74.6).

  • 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). Marion County's score of 62.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Marion 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 Marion County?

    Marion County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 24,224 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.