Marshall County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 79.7 | 34,123 people · 13th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Marshall County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 79.7 — 72nd 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 13th of 82 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Marshall County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 98.8 — worse than roughly 99% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 98.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 86.0
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 97
Credit Card Delinquency 96
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 94
Housing Cost Burden 74.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 74
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 93
Homeownership Rate 37
Structural Poverty 68.7
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Economic Vitality 60.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 8
House Price Change (YoY) 57

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marshall County
Marshall County, MS 79.7 Serious —
Shelby County, TN 81.3 Crisis +1.6
Tate County, MS 73.4 Serious -6.3
DeSoto County, MS 67.1 Serious -12.5
Benton County, MS 66.7 Serious -13.0
Lafayette County, MS 60.1 Elevated -19.6
Union County, MS 60.1 Elevated -19.6
Fayette County, TN 51.1 Elevated -28.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marshall County
Upson County, GA 79.6 Serious -0.1
Desha County, AR 79.8 Serious +0.1
Haywood County, TN 79.5 Serious -0.1
Bamberg County, SC 79.8 Serious +0.2
Bee County, TX 79.8 Serious +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Marshall 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 Marshall 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 Marshall County, Mississippi?

    Marshall County has a County Distress Index score of 79.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 72nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marshall County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marshall County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 98.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Marshall County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marshall County (79.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Shelby County, TN (81.3); Tate County, MS (73.4); DeSoto County, MS (67.1).

  • 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). Marshall County's score of 79.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Marshall 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 Marshall County?

    Marshall County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 34,123 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.