Washington County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Crisis · 86.1 | 41,946 people · 2nd most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Washington County, MS ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 86.1 — 10th 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 2nd of 82 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Washington County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 94.2 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 94.2
Debt in Collections 97
Medical Debt 81
Auto Loan Delinquency 99
Credit Card Delinquency 99
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 99
Legal Distress 93.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Structural Poverty 89.4
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 99
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 99
Disability Rate 96
Transfer Income Dependency 86
Housing Cost Burden 82.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 85
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 95
Economic Vitality 41.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Washington County
Washington County, MS 86.1 Crisis —
Bolivar County, MS 84.7 Crisis -1.4
Humphreys County, MS 79.7 Serious -6.4
Sharkey County, MS 79.7 Serious -6.4
Sunflower County, MS 78.7 Serious -7.4
Chicot County, AR 76.1 Serious -10.1
Issaquena County, MS 63.8 Elevated -22.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Washington County
Hopewell city, VA 86.0 Crisis -0.2
Crittenden County, AR 85.8 Crisis -0.3
Coahoma County, MS 85.7 Crisis -0.4
Phillips County, AR 85.5 Crisis -0.6
Baldwin County, GA 85.4 Crisis -0.7

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County, Mississippi?

    Washington County has a County Distress Index score of 86.1 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 10th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Washington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Washington County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 94.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Washington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Washington County (86.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Bolivar County, MS (84.7); Humphreys County, MS (79.7); Sharkey County, MS (79.7).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Washington County's score of 86.1 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Washington 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 Washington County?

    Washington County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 41,946 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.