Rankin County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.7 | 160,417 people · 62nd most distressed in Mississippi
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Rankin County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.7 — 722nd 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 62nd 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. Rankin County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 94.7 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 94.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Housing Cost Burden 78.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 48
Homeownership Rate 32
Consumer Credit Distress 66.4
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 55
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Uninsured Rate 60
Subprime Credit Population 77
Economic Vitality 59.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 67
Structural Poverty 15.9
Unemployment Rate 3
Poverty Rate 19
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 16
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Rankin County
Rankin County, MS 63.7 Elevated —
Hinds County, MS 83.6 Crisis +19.9
Copiah County, MS 74.2 Serious +10.4
Simpson County, MS 68.8 Serious +5.1
Scott County, MS 66.6 Serious +2.9
Madison County, MS 55.3 Elevated -8.4
Smith County, MS 53.5 Elevated -10.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Rankin County
San Juan County, NM 63.7 Elevated -0.0
Valencia County, NM 63.7 Elevated -0.0
Warren County, KY 63.8 Elevated +0.1
Jefferson County, OH 63.7 Elevated -0.1
Lea County, NM 63.6 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rankin 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 Rankin 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 Rankin County, Mississippi?

    Rankin County has a County Distress Index score of 63.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 722nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 62nd in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rankin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rankin County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 94.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Rankin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rankin County (63.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hinds County, MS (83.6); Copiah County, MS (74.2); Simpson County, MS (68.8).

  • 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). Rankin County's score of 63.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Rankin 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 Rankin County?

    Rankin County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 160,417 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.