Tate County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.4 | 28,261 people · 32nd most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Tate County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.4 — 254th 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 32nd of 82 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Tate County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.6 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 81.2
Debt in Collections 68
Medical Debt 53
Auto Loan Delinquency 97
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 89
Housing Cost Burden 75.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 76
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 91
Homeownership Rate 57
Economic Vitality 58.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 80
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 32
House Price Change (YoY) 37
Structural Poverty 41.5
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 12
Child Poverty Rate 60
Disability Rate 45
Transfer Income Dependency 56

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Tate County
Tate County, MS 73.4 Serious —
Tunica County, MS 88.5 Crisis +15.1
Marshall County, MS 79.7 Serious +6.3
Panola County, MS 79.0 Serious +5.6
DeSoto County, MS 67.1 Serious -6.3
Lafayette County, MS 60.1 Elevated -13.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Tate County
Macon County, GA 73.4 Serious +0.0
Stephens County, GA 73.4 Serious +0.0
Hampton County, SC 73.3 Serious -0.1
Zapata County, TX 73.3 Serious -0.1
Chattooga County, GA 73.5 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Tate 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 Tate 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 Tate County, Mississippi?

    Tate County has a County Distress Index score of 73.4 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 254th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Tate County?

    The primary driver of distress in Tate County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Tate County compare to neighboring counties?

    Tate County (73.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Tunica County, MS (88.5); Marshall County, MS (79.7); 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). Tate County's score of 73.4 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Tate 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 Tate County?

    Tate County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 28,261 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.