Perry County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.0 | 11,315 people · 67th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Perry County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.0 — 828th 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 67th of 82 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Perry County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 81.8 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 81.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Structural Poverty 80.5
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 90
Consumer Credit Distress 68.2
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 53
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 88
Subprime Credit Population 93
Economic Vitality 63.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Housing Cost Burden 30.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Perry County
Perry County, MS 62.0 Elevated —
Wayne County, MS 75.9 Serious +13.9
Forrest County, MS 74.6 Serious +12.6
Jones County, MS 70.8 Serious +8.8
Stone County, MS 65.3 Serious +3.3
Greene County, MS 60.9 Elevated -1.1
George County, MS 56.4 Elevated -5.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Perry County
Hot Spring County, AR 62.0 Elevated +0.0
Jackson County, TX 62.0 Elevated +0.0
Ward County, TX 62.0 Elevated +0.0
Mecklenburg County, VA 61.9 Elevated -0.1
Fayette County, AL 61.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Perry 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 Perry 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 Perry County, Mississippi?

    Perry County has a County Distress Index score of 62.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 828th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 67th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Perry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Perry County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 81.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Perry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Perry County (62.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wayne County, MS (75.9); Forrest County, MS (74.6); Jones County, MS (70.8).

  • 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). Perry County's score of 62.0 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Perry 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 Perry County?

    Perry County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 11,315 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.