Tippah County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.7 | 21,287 people · 63rd most distressed in Mississippi
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Tippah County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.7 — 725th 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 63rd 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. Tippah County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 91.0 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 91.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 91
Consumer Credit Distress 85.2
Debt in Collections 75
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 94
Credit Card Delinquency 99
Uninsured Rate 79
Subprime Credit Population 81
Structural Poverty 59.3
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 30
Child Poverty Rate 83
Disability Rate 81
Transfer Income Dependency 76
Economic Vitality 42.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 27
Business Formation Rate 61
House Price Change (YoY) 93
Housing Cost Burden 20.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 31
Homeownership Rate 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Tippah County
Tippah County, MS 63.7 Elevated —
Hardeman County, TN 77.8 Serious +14.2
Benton County, MS 66.7 Serious +3.0
Alcorn County, MS 66.3 Serious +2.6
Prentiss County, MS 60.5 Elevated -3.2
Union County, MS 60.1 Elevated -3.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Tippah County
Nottoway County, VA 63.7 Elevated 0.0
Marion County, TN 63.7 Elevated -0.0
Brunswick County, VA 63.7 Elevated -0.0
Marion County, AL 63.6 Elevated -0.0
Socorro County, NM 63.7 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

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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 Tippah 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 Tippah County, Mississippi?

    Tippah County has a County Distress Index score of 63.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 725th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 63rd in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Tippah County?

    The primary driver of distress in Tippah County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 91.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Tippah County compare to neighboring counties?

    Tippah County (63.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Hardeman County, TN (77.8); Benton County, MS (66.7); Alcorn County, MS (66.3).

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

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

    Tippah 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 Tippah County?

    Tippah County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 21,287 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.