Pontotoc County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.7 | 31,535 people · 65th most distressed in Mississippi
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Pontotoc County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.7 — 786th 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 65th of 82 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Pontotoc County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 96.4 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 96.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 77.7
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 79
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 77
Subprime Credit Population 88
Economic Vitality 57.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 56
Business Formation Rate 23
House Price Change (YoY) 93
Structural Poverty 47.0
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 55
Disability Rate 73
Transfer Income Dependency 49
Housing Cost Burden 31.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 14
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 68

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pontotoc County
Pontotoc County, MS 62.7 Elevated —
Chickasaw County, MS 72.8 Serious +10.0
Calhoun County, MS 67.1 Serious +4.4
Lee County, MS 66.9 Serious +4.2
Lafayette County, MS 60.1 Elevated -2.6
Union County, MS 60.1 Elevated -2.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pontotoc County
Scott County, IN 62.7 Elevated -0.0
Boyle County, KY 62.7 Elevated +0.0
Breathitt County, KY 62.7 Elevated -0.0
Fayette County, WV 62.8 Elevated +0.0
Osage County, OK 62.7 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pontotoc 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 Pontotoc 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 Pontotoc County, Mississippi?

    Pontotoc County has a County Distress Index score of 62.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 786th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 65th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pontotoc County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pontotoc County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 96.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Pontotoc County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pontotoc County (62.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Chickasaw County, MS (72.8); Calhoun County, MS (67.1); Lee County, MS (66.9).

  • 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). Pontotoc County's score of 62.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Pontotoc 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 Pontotoc County?

    Pontotoc County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 31,535 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.