Smith County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.5 | 14,099 people · 81st most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Smith County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.5 — 1370th 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 81st of 82 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Smith County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 84.9 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 84.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Consumer Credit Distress 72.6
Debt in Collections 54
Medical Debt 32
Auto Loan Delinquency 82
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 86
Subprime Credit Population 94
Structural Poverty 57.4
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 29
Child Poverty Rate 75
Disability Rate 81
Transfer Income Dependency 64
Economic Vitality 26.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 12
Rent-to-Income Ratio 26
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Housing Cost Burden 10.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 12
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Smith County
Smith County, MS 53.5 Elevated —
Jones County, MS 70.8 Serious +17.3
Simpson County, MS 68.8 Serious +15.4
Scott County, MS 66.6 Serious +13.2
Jasper County, MS 66.5 Serious +13.1
Newton County, MS 64.0 Elevated +10.5
Rankin County, MS 63.7 Elevated +10.3
Covington County, MS 60.7 Elevated +7.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Smith County
Manassas city, VA 53.5 Elevated -0.0
Jackson County, NC 53.4 Elevated -0.0
Sullivan County, IN 53.4 Elevated -0.1
Giles County, TN 53.4 Elevated -0.1
Montezuma County, CO 53.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Smith 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 Smith 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 Smith County, Mississippi?

    Smith County has a County Distress Index score of 53.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,370th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 81st in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Smith County?

    The primary driver of distress in Smith County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 84.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Smith County compare to neighboring counties?

    Smith County (53.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jones County, MS (70.8); Simpson County, MS (68.8); Scott County, MS (66.6).

  • 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 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). Smith County's score of 53.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Smith 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 Smith County?

    Smith County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 14,099 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.