Simpson County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.8 | 25,715 people · 43rd most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Simpson County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.8 — 444th 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 43rd of 82 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Simpson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.3 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Consumer Credit Distress 83.9
Debt in Collections 82
Medical Debt 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 96
Structural Poverty 66.0
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 86
Income vs. State Median 30
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Economic Vitality 51.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31
Business Formation Rate 13
House Price Change (YoY) 96
Housing Cost Burden 37.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 43
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Simpson County
Simpson County, MS 68.8 Serious —
Hinds County, MS 83.6 Crisis +14.8
Jefferson Davis County, MS 75.3 Serious +6.5
Lawrence County, MS 74.6 Serious +5.8
Copiah County, MS 74.2 Serious +5.3
Rankin County, MS 63.7 Elevated -5.1
Covington County, MS 60.7 Elevated -8.1
Smith County, MS 53.5 Elevated -15.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Simpson County
Curry County, NM 68.9 Serious +0.1
Taylor County, FL 68.8 Serious -0.1
Nolan County, TX 68.9 Serious +0.1
Atoka County, OK 68.7 Serious -0.1
Jackson County, OH 69.0 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Simpson County

Find an Attorney

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 Simpson 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 Simpson County, Mississippi?

    Simpson County has a County Distress Index score of 68.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 444th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 43rd in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Simpson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Simpson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Simpson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Simpson County (68.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Hinds County, MS (83.6); Jefferson Davis County, MS (75.3); Lawrence County, MS (74.6).

  • 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). Simpson County's score of 68.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Simpson 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 Simpson County?

    Simpson County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 25,715 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.