Adair County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.5 | 25,122 people · 56th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Adair County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.5 — 1681st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Missouri, it ranks 56th of 115 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. Adair County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 53.8 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 53.8
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 51
Subprime Credit Population 47
Structural Poverty 50.0
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 46
Child Poverty Rate 45
Disability Rate 17
Transfer Income Dependency 59
Housing Cost Burden 45.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 33
Homeownership Rate 92
Economic Vitality 38.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 68
House Price Change (YoY) 26
Legal Distress 33.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Adair County
Adair County, MO 48.5 Normal —
Sullivan County, MO 45.4 Normal -3.0
Macon County, MO 44.3 Normal -4.2
Linn County, MO 42.9 Normal -5.6
Putnam County, MO 39.8 Normal -8.7
Schuyler County, MO 37.0 Normal -11.5
Scotland County, MO 32.3 Healthy -16.1
Knox County, MO 31.4 Healthy -17.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Adair County
Monroe County, WV 48.5 Normal -0.0
Grant County, WV 48.4 Normal -0.1
Decatur County, IN 48.5 Normal +0.1
Asotin County, WA 48.4 Normal -0.1
Burleson County, TX 48.4 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Adair County

Find an Attorney

Missouri Bar — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Missouri Bar — Lawyer Referral Service 573-635-4128

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Adair County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri 314-534-4200 (St. Louis); 1-800-444-0514 (statewide hotline)
Legal Aid of Western Missouri 816-474-6750 (Kansas City); 1-800-748-2057 (statewide hotline)
Central Missouri Legal Services 573-442-0116
The Legal Aid and Defender Association (LAD) 816-474-6750
Legal Services of Southern Missouri (417) 881-1397
Mid-Missouri Legal Services Corporation (573) 442-0116

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Adair County, Missouri?

    Adair County has a County Distress Index score of 48.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,681st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Adair County?

    The primary driver of distress in Adair County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 53.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Adair County compare to neighboring counties?

    Adair County (48.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Sullivan County, MO (45.4); Macon County, MO (44.3); Linn County, MO (42.9).

  • 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 Normal 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). Adair County's score of 48.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Adair 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 Adair County?

    Adair County, Missouri has a population of approximately 25,122 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.