Quitman County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 77.2 | 5,546 people · 18th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Quitman County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 77.2 — 124th 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 18th of 82 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Quitman County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 93.2
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 91
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 81
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 87.1
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 73
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 65.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 73
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Housing Cost Burden 36.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 26
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 90

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Quitman County
Quitman County, MS 77.2 Serious —
Tunica County, MS 88.5 Crisis +11.4
Coahoma County, MS 85.7 Crisis +8.5
Panola County, MS 79.0 Serious +1.8
Tallahatchie County, MS 71.6 Serious -5.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Quitman County
Madison Parish, LA 78.1 Serious +0.9
Franklin city, VA 76.2 Serious -1.0
Chicot County, AR 76.1 Serious -1.1
Catahoula Parish, LA 78.7 Serious +1.5
Terrell County, GA 75.6 Serious -1.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Quitman 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 Quitman 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 Quitman County, Mississippi?

    Quitman County has a County Distress Index score of 77.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 124th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 18th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Quitman County?

    The primary driver of distress in Quitman County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Quitman County compare to neighboring counties?

    Quitman County (77.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Tunica County, MS (88.5); Coahoma County, MS (85.7); Panola County, MS (79.0).

  • 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). Quitman County's score of 77.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Quitman 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 Quitman County?

    Quitman County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 5,546 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.