Barton County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.6 | 11,731 people · 48th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Barton County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.6 — 1478th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Missouri, it ranks 48th of 115 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Barton County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 67.8 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 67.8
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 75
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 88
Transfer Income Dependency 67
Housing Cost Burden 59.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 61
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 72
Economic Vitality 51.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 47
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Consumer Credit Distress 45.6
Debt in Collections 69
Medical Debt 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 34
Credit Card Delinquency 13
Uninsured Rate 70
Subprime Credit Population 47
Legal Distress 37.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Barton County
Barton County, MO 51.6 Elevated —
Jasper County, MO 66.8 Serious +15.2
Crawford County, KS 64.4 Elevated +12.8
Cedar County, MO 58.8 Elevated +7.2
Vernon County, MO 53.1 Elevated +1.5
Dade County, MO 44.6 Normal -7.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Barton County
Green County, KY 51.6 Elevated +0.0
Wasco County, OR 51.6 Elevated -0.0
Patrick County, VA 51.6 Elevated -0.0
Humphreys County, TN 51.6 Elevated +0.0
Arenac County, MI 51.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Barton 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 Barton 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 Barton County, Missouri?

    Barton County has a County Distress Index score of 51.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,478th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Barton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Barton County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 67.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Barton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Barton County (51.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jasper County, MO (66.8); Crawford County, KS (64.4); Cedar County, MO (58.8).

  • 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). Barton County's score of 51.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Barton 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 Barton County?

    Barton County, Missouri has a population of approximately 11,731 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.