Missouri County Distress Index
Financial distress scores for all 115 counties in Missouri, scored 0–100 across five domains. Mean score: 48.6. 32counties are in the two most distressed fifths.
Data: Census, BLS, Urban Institute, HUD, US Courts | Scores as of 2026-03-26
Missouri Snapshot
115 Counties Scored
48.6 Mean Score
46.9 Median Score
90.4 Pemiscot County Most Distressed
14.5 Osage County Least Distressed
12 Most distressed fifth20 Second-most distressed fifth31 Middle fifth36 Second-least distressed fifth16 Least distressed fifth
Quintile Distribution Missouri County Map
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Least distressed fifth Second-least distressed fifth Middle fifth Second-most distressed fifth Most distressed fifth
All 115 Missouri counties colored by distress fifth. Hover for details; click released counties for full reports.
Most & Least Distressed
Most Distressed
Least Distressed
Score Distribution
How Missouri's 115 county scores are distributed across the 0–100 scale.
All Missouri Counties
115 counties ranked by distress score. Click column headers to sort.
| State Rank | Nat'l Rank | County | Score | Distress Fifth | Primary Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Pemiscot County | 90.4 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 2 | 51 | Mississippi County | 84.7 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 3 | 91 | Dunklin County | 82.3 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 4 | 100 | Wayne County | 81.7 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 5 | 145 | St. Louis city | 79.7 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 6 | 218 | Ripley County | 76.6 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 7 | 322 | New Madrid County | 73.5 | Most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 8 | 357 | Butler County | 72.6 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 9 | 467 | Hickory County | 70.0 | Most distressed fifth | Labor |
| 10 | 516 | Washington County | 69.0 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 11 | 583 | Oregon County | 68.0 | Most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 12 | 610 | Benton County | 67.5 | Most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 13 | 630 | Carter County | 67.1 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 14 | 657 | Taney County | 66.4 | Second-most distressed fifth | Labor |
| 15 | 703 | Buchanan County | 65.6 | Second-most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 16 | 731 | St. Francois County | 65.0 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 17 | 805 | Scott County | 63.8 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 18 | 820 | Iron County | 63.5 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 19 | 826 | Madison County | 63.3 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 20 | 838 | Jackson County | 63.1 | Second-most distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 21 | 879 | Howell County | 62.4 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 22 | 902 | Douglas County | 62.1 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 23 | 927 | Reynolds County | 61.5 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 24 | 940 | Morgan County | 61.3 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 25 | 948 | Texas County | 61.1 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 26 | 970 | Shannon County | 60.7 | Second-most distressed fifth | Labor |
| 27 | 973 | Laclede County | 60.7 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 28 | 1,005 | Jasper County | 60.3 | Second-most distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 29 | 1,022 | Stoddard County | 60.0 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 30 | 1,126 | Wright County | 58.3 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 31 | 1,206 | Pettis County | 57.0 | Second-most distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 32 | 1,217 | Dallas County | 56.8 | Second-most distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 33 | 1,271 | Bollinger County | 55.9 | Middle fifth | Delinquency |
| 34 | 1,273 | Henry County | 55.9 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 35 | 1,278 | Cedar County | 55.8 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 36 | 1,292 | Dent County | 55.4 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 37 | 1,313 | Saline County | 55.0 | Middle fifth | Delinquency |
| 38 | 1,326 | Crawford County | 54.8 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 39 | 1,342 | Audrain County | 54.6 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 40 | 1,366 | McDonald County | 54.2 | Middle fifth | Delinquency |
| 41 | 1,377 | St. Clair County | 54.0 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 42 | 1,385 | Greene County | 53.9 | Middle fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 43 | 1,395 | Randolph County | 53.6 | Middle fifth | Delinquency |
| 44 | 1,412 | Grundy County | 53.4 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 45 | 1,433 | Barry County | 53.1 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 46 | 1,458 | Ozark County | 52.5 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 47 | 1,460 | Phelps County | 52.4 | Middle fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 48 | 1,500 | Lafayette County | 51.7 | Middle fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 49 | 1,563 | Bates County | 50.7 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 50 | 1,568 | Vernon County | 50.5 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 51 | 1,592 | Sullivan County | 50.1 | Middle fifth | Labor |
| 52 | 1,602 | Clark County | 50.0 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 53 | 1,628 | Barton County | 49.4 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 54 | 1,648 | Marion County | 49.2 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 55 | 1,684 | Adair County | 48.5 | Middle fifth | Labor |
| 56 | 1,758 | Pike County | 47.3 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 57 | 1,766 | Polk County | 47.1 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 58 | 1,775 | St. Louis County | 46.9 | Middle fifth | Default & Legal |
| 59 | 1,860 | Stone County | 45.5 | Middle fifth | Labor |
| 60 | 1,868 | Lawrence County | 45.4 | Middle fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 61 | 1,878 | Howard County | 45.2 | Middle fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 62 | 1,879 | Miller County | 45.2 | Middle fifth | Delinquency |
| 63 | 1,882 | Lewis County | 45.1 | Middle fifth | Labor |
| 64 | 1,905 | Cape Girardeau County | 44.7 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 65 | 1,925 | Caldwell County | 44.3 | Second-least distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 66 | 1,926 | Ray County | 44.3 | Second-least distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 67 | 1,929 | Harrison County | 44.3 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 68 | 1,939 | Pulaski County | 44.2 | Second-least distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 69 | 1,976 | Webster County | 43.5 | Second-least distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 70 | 2,017 | Carroll County | 42.8 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 71 | 2,023 | Lincoln County | 42.7 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 72 | 2,024 | Newton County | 42.7 | Second-least distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 73 | 2,030 | Linn County | 42.6 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 74 | 2,041 | Callaway County | 42.5 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 75 | 2,075 | Dade County | 41.8 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 76 | 2,118 | Franklin County | 40.9 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 77 | 2,154 | Montgomery County | 40.2 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 78 | 2,166 | DeKalb County | 40.1 | Second-least distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 79 | 2,176 | Warren County | 39.9 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 80 | 2,197 | Macon County | 39.5 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 81 | 2,198 | Camden County | 39.5 | Second-least distressed fifth | Labor |
| 82 | 2,238 | Boone County | 38.7 | Second-least distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 83 | 2,244 | Cooper County | 38.5 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 84 | 2,247 | Cass County | 38.5 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 85 | 2,250 | Jefferson County | 38.4 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 86 | 2,316 | Monroe County | 37.1 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 87 | 2,317 | Clay County | 37.1 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 88 | 2,321 | Johnson County | 37.1 | Second-least distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 89 | 2,344 | Worth County | 36.6 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 90 | 2,353 | Clinton County | 36.5 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 91 | 2,358 | Mercer County | 36.3 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 92 | 2,371 | Knox County | 36.0 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 93 | 2,385 | Gasconade County | 35.7 | Second-least distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 94 | 2,386 | Maries County | 35.7 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 95 | 2,401 | Livingston County | 35.3 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 96 | 2,402 | Schuyler County | 35.3 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 97 | 2,464 | Putnam County | 34.0 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 98 | 2,470 | Perry County | 33.8 | Second-least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 99 | 2,479 | Gentry County | 33.5 | Second-least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 100 | 2,566 | Ralls County | 31.6 | Least distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 101 | 2,571 | Christian County | 31.5 | Least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 102 | 2,581 | Holt County | 31.4 | Least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 103 | 2,651 | Daviess County | 29.7 | Least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 104 | 2,662 | Chariton County | 29.6 | Least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 105 | 2,672 | Nodaway County | 29.2 | Least distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 106 | 2,720 | Ste. Genevieve County | 28.0 | Least distressed fifth | Delinquency |
| 107 | 2,734 | Platte County | 27.6 | Least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 108 | 2,752 | Scotland County | 27.0 | Least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 109 | 2,755 | Andrew County | 27.0 | Least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 110 | 2,756 | Moniteau County | 27.0 | Least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 111 | 2,780 | Shelby County | 26.3 | Least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 112 | 2,810 | Cole County | 25.4 | Least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 113 | 2,838 | Atchison County | 24.7 | Least distressed fifth | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 114 | 2,847 | St. Charles County | 24.3 | Least distressed fifth | Default & Legal |
| 115 | 3,084 | Osage County | 14.5 | Least distressed fifth | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
How County Scores Work
Each county is scored 0–100 using five equal-weighted domains. Each domain averages its member indicators' county ranks, and the composite is the mean of those domain scores. Higher scores indicate greater household financial distress.
Most distressed fifth — 12 Missouri counties
Second-most distressed fifth — 20 Missouri counties
Middle fifth — 31 Missouri counties
Second-least distressed fifth — 36 Missouri counties
Least distressed fifth — 16 Missouri counties