Union County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.1 | 28,284 people · 73rd most distressed in Mississippi
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Union County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.1 — 947th 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 73rd 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. Union County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 94.9 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 94.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 81.3
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 79
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 93
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 84
Structural Poverty 48.2
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 59
Housing Cost Burden 25.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 30
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 17
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 8
Homeownership Rate 48
Economic Vitality 23.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 8
Rent-to-Income Ratio 27
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 50

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Union County
Union County, MS 60.1 Elevated —
Marshall County, MS 79.7 Serious +19.6
Lee County, MS 66.9 Serious +6.8
Benton County, MS 66.7 Serious +6.6
Tippah County, MS 63.7 Elevated +3.6
Pontotoc County, MS 62.7 Elevated +2.7
Prentiss County, MS 60.5 Elevated +0.4
Lafayette County, MS 60.1 Elevated +0.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Union County
Smyth County, VA 60.1 Elevated +0.0
Meigs County, TN 60.1 Elevated +0.0
Clare County, MI 60.0 Elevated -0.1
Weakley County, TN 60.0 Elevated -0.1
LaSalle Parish, LA 59.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Union 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 Union 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 Union County, Mississippi?

    Union County has a County Distress Index score of 60.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 947th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 73rd in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Union County?

    The primary driver of distress in Union County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 94.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Union County compare to neighboring counties?

    Union County (60.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Marshall County, MS (79.7); Lee County, MS (66.9); Benton County, MS (66.7).

  • 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). Union County's score of 60.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Union 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 Union County?

    Union County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 28,284 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.