Panola County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 79.0 | 32,669 people · 15th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Panola County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 79.0 — 86th 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 15th of 82 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Panola 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 89.4
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 57
Auto Loan Delinquency 99
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 84
Subprime Credit Population 99
Structural Poverty 75.4
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 96
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 96
Disability Rate 64
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Housing Cost Burden 69.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 67
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 69
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 75
Economic Vitality 39.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 39
Rent-to-Income Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 12
House Price Change (YoY) 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Panola County
Panola County, MS 79.0 Serious —
Tunica County, MS 88.5 Crisis +9.6
Quitman County, MS 77.2 Serious -1.8
Tate County, MS 73.4 Serious -5.6
Tallahatchie County, MS 71.6 Serious -7.3
Yalobusha County, MS 69.2 Serious -9.7
Lafayette County, MS 60.1 Elevated -18.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Panola County
Washington County, GA 79.0 Serious +0.1
Dunklin County, MO 79.2 Serious +0.2
Decatur County, GA 78.7 Serious -0.2
Sunflower County, MS 78.7 Serious -0.3
Lanier County, GA 78.7 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Panola 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 Panola 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 Panola County, Mississippi?

    Panola County has a County Distress Index score of 79.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 86th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 15th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Panola County?

    The primary driver of distress in Panola 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 Panola County compare to neighboring counties?

    Panola County (79.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Tunica County, MS (88.5); Quitman County, MS (77.2); Tate County, MS (73.4).

  • 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). Panola County's score of 79.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Panola 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 Panola County?

    Panola County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 32,669 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.