Wayne County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Serious · 75.9 | 19,703 people · 21st most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Wayne County, MS shows significant household financial distress with a score of 75.9 — 160th 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 21st of 82 counties. It scores higher 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. Wayne County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 90.3 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 90.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Consumer Credit Distress 81.8
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 41
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 91
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 73.2
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 67
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 75
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Housing Cost Burden 73.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 5
Economic Vitality 44.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 36
House Price Change (YoY) 70

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Wayne County, MS 75.9 Serious —
Jones County, MS 70.8 Serious -5.1
Clarke County, MS 70.1 Serious -5.8
Jasper County, MS 66.5 Serious -9.3
Choctaw County, AL 66.2 Serious -9.7
Perry County, MS 62.0 Elevated -13.9
Greene County, MS 60.9 Elevated -14.9
Washington County, AL 56.5 Elevated -19.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Dillon County, SC 76.0 Serious +0.2
Meriwether County, GA 76.1 Serious +0.3
Willacy County, TX 76.2 Serious +0.3
Macon County, AL 75.5 Serious -0.4
Pulaski County, GA 75.5 Serious -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wayne County

Find an Attorney

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 Wayne 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 Wayne County, Mississippi?

    Wayne County has a County Distress Index score of 75.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 160th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wayne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wayne County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 90.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Wayne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wayne County (75.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jones County, MS (70.8); Clarke County, MS (70.1); Jasper County, MS (66.5).

  • 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). Wayne County's score of 75.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Wayne 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 Wayne County?

    Wayne County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 19,703 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.