Tallahatchie County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.6 | 11,837 people · 35th most distressed in Mississippi
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Tallahatchie County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.6 — 329th 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 35th of 82 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Tallahatchie County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.2 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Consumer Credit Distress 92.0
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 93
Uninsured Rate 91
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 78.1
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 82
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 57
Transfer Income Dependency 90
Economic Vitality 40.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 73
Business Formation Rate 36
House Price Change (YoY) 52
Housing Cost Burden 30.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 13
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 65
Homeownership Rate 80

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Tallahatchie County
Tallahatchie County, MS 71.6 Serious —
Coahoma County, MS 85.7 Crisis +14.1
Leflore County, MS 84.7 Crisis +13.1
Panola County, MS 79.0 Serious +7.3
Sunflower County, MS 78.7 Serious +7.1
Quitman County, MS 77.2 Serious +5.6
Grenada County, MS 74.1 Serious +2.5
Yalobusha County, MS 69.2 Serious -2.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Tallahatchie County
Howard County, AR 71.6 Serious -0.0
Bienville Parish, LA 71.6 Serious +0.0
Bleckley County, GA 71.6 Serious -0.0
Lincoln Parish, LA 71.7 Serious +0.1
Leake County, MS 71.5 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

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Mississippi Bar Lawyer Referral 601-948-4471

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Tallahatchie 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 Tallahatchie County, Mississippi?

    Tallahatchie County has a County Distress Index score of 71.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 329th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Tallahatchie County?

    The primary driver of distress in Tallahatchie County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Tallahatchie County compare to neighboring counties?

    Tallahatchie County (71.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Coahoma County, MS (85.7); Leflore County, MS (84.7); 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). Tallahatchie County's score of 71.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Tallahatchie 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 Tallahatchie County?

    Tallahatchie County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 11,837 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.