Webster County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.6 | 9,988 people · 68th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Webster County, MS registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.6 — 845th 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 68th of 82 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Webster County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 85.3 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 85.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Consumer Credit Distress 76.0
Debt in Collections 52
Medical Debt 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 87
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 81
Structural Poverty 60.2
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Housing Cost Burden 36.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 51
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 29
Economic Vitality 32.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Webster County
Webster County, MS 61.6 Elevated —
Montgomery County, MS 79.3 Serious +17.7
Oktibbeha County, MS 74.6 Serious +13.1
Grenada County, MS 74.1 Serious +12.5
Clay County, MS 73.3 Serious +11.7
Chickasaw County, MS 72.8 Serious +11.2
Calhoun County, MS 67.1 Serious +5.6
Choctaw County, MS 59.7 Elevated -1.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Webster County
Edwards County, TX 61.5 Elevated -0.0
Menard County, TX 61.4 Elevated -0.1
Buena Vista city, VA 61.9 Elevated +0.3
Elliott County, KY 61.2 Elevated -0.4
La Salle County, TX 62.0 Elevated +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Webster 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 Webster County residents at no cost.

Mississippi Center for Legal Services 1-800-498-1804
North Mississippi Rural Legal Services 1-800-898-8731

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Mississippi →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Webster County, Mississippi?

    Webster County has a County Distress Index score of 61.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 845th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 68th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Webster County?

    The primary driver of distress in Webster County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 85.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Webster County compare to neighboring counties?

    Webster County (61.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Montgomery County, MS (79.3); Oktibbeha County, MS (74.6); Grenada County, MS (74.1).

  • 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). Webster County's score of 61.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Webster 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 Webster County?

    Webster County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 9,988 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.