Monroe County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.4 | 33,609 people · 55th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Monroe County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.4 — 622nd 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 55th of 82 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Monroe County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 97.4 — worse than roughly 97% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 97.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 97
Consumer Credit Distress 80.0
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 96
Credit Card Delinquency 86
Uninsured Rate 58
Subprime Credit Population 90
Structural Poverty 59.2
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 42
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 30
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Housing Cost Burden 44.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 63
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 30
Homeownership Rate 37
Economic Vitality 25.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 8
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 92

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Monroe County
Monroe County, MS 65.4 Serious —
Clay County, MS 73.3 Serious +7.9
Chickasaw County, MS 72.8 Serious +7.4
Lowndes County, MS 67.3 Serious +2.0
Lee County, MS 66.9 Serious +1.5
Marion County, AL 63.6 Elevated -1.8
Lamar County, AL 60.5 Elevated -4.9
Itawamba County, MS 50.5 Elevated -14.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Monroe County
Carter County, KY 65.4 Serious 0.0
Limestone County, TX 65.4 Serious +0.0
Pushmataha County, OK 65.4 Serious +0.0
Edgefield County, SC 65.4 Serious +0.0
Monroe County, AL 65.3 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Monroe County

Find an Attorney

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 Monroe 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 Monroe County, Mississippi?

    Monroe County has a County Distress Index score of 65.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 622nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 55th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Monroe County?

    The primary driver of distress in Monroe County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 97.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Monroe County compare to neighboring counties?

    Monroe County (65.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Clay County, MS (73.3); Chickasaw County, MS (72.8); Lowndes County, MS (67.3).

  • 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). Monroe County's score of 65.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Monroe 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 Monroe County?

    Monroe County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 33,609 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.