Walthall County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.4 | 13,863 people · 59th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Walthall County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.4 — 680th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Mississippi, it ranks 59th of 82 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Walthall County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 81.7 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 81.7
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 78
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 95
Legal Distress 78.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Structural Poverty 77.0
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 88
Income vs. State Median 51
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Economic Vitality 55.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Business Formation Rate 12
House Price Change (YoY) 15
Housing Cost Burden 18.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 10
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Walthall County
Walthall County, MS 64.4 Elevated —
Pike County, MS 77.3 Serious +12.9
Washington Parish, LA 75.0 Serious +10.7
Lawrence County, MS 74.6 Serious +10.2
Lincoln County, MS 64.9 Elevated +0.5
Marion County, MS 62.5 Elevated -1.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Walthall County
Milam County, TX 64.4 Elevated 0.0
Henry County, VA 64.4 Elevated 0.0
Macon County, TN 64.4 Elevated -0.0
Deaf Smith County, TX 64.4 Elevated -0.0
Crawford County, KS 64.4 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Walthall 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 Walthall 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 Walthall County, Mississippi?

    Walthall County has a County Distress Index score of 64.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 680th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 59th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Walthall County?

    The primary driver of distress in Walthall County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 81.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Walthall County compare to neighboring counties?

    Walthall County (64.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Pike County, MS (77.3); Washington Parish, LA (75.0); Lawrence County, MS (74.6).

  • 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). Walthall County's score of 64.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Walthall 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 Walthall County?

    Walthall County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 13,863 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.