Benton County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.5 | 20,552 people · 22nd most distressed in Missouri
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Benton County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.5 — 800th 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 22nd of 115 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Benton County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 80.7 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 80.7
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 77
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Economic Vitality 64.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 33
House Price Change (YoY) 91
Housing Cost Burden 61.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 96
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 6
Consumer Credit Distress 61.3
Debt in Collections 59
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 94
Uninsured Rate 62
Subprime Credit Population 30
Legal Distress 37.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Benton County
Benton County, MO 62.5 Elevated —
Hickory County, MO 66.8 Serious +4.3
Henry County, MO 62.9 Elevated +0.3
Pettis County, MO 58.0 Elevated -4.6
Morgan County, MO 57.4 Elevated -5.1
St. Clair County, MO 56.3 Elevated -6.3
Camden County, MO 37.0 Normal -25.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Benton County
Marion County, MS 62.5 Elevated -0.0
Garvin County, OK 62.6 Elevated +0.0
Robertson County, TX 62.5 Elevated -0.0
Union County, FL 62.6 Elevated +0.1
Des Moines County, IA 62.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Benton 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 Benton 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 Benton County, Missouri?

    Benton County has a County Distress Index score of 62.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 800th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Benton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Benton County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 80.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Benton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Benton County (62.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hickory County, MO (66.8); Henry County, MO (62.9); Pettis County, MO (58.0).

  • 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). Benton County's score of 62.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Benton 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 Benton County?

    Benton County, Missouri has a population of approximately 20,552 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.