Buchanan County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.3 | 82,956 people · 17th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Buchanan County, MO shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.3 — 591st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Missouri, it ranks 17th of 115 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Buchanan County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.4 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 28
Homeownership Rate 85
Consumer Credit Distress 71.0
Debt in Collections 72
Medical Debt 60
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 57
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 71
Legal Distress 60.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 61
Structural Poverty 50.7
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 56
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 59
Economic Vitality 37.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 63
House Price Change (YoY) 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Buchanan County
Buchanan County, MO 66.3 Serious —
Doniphan County, KS 42.0 Normal -24.2
DeKalb County, MO 41.0 Normal -25.3
Clinton County, MO 39.4 Normal -26.8
Atchison County, KS 39.0 Normal -27.3
Platte County, MO 35.7 Normal -30.5
Andrew County, MO 35.2 Normal -31.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Buchanan County
Laurens County, SC 66.3 Serious +0.0
Wayne County, IN 66.3 Serious +0.0
Bradley County, TN 66.3 Serious +0.1
Carter County, TN 66.2 Serious -0.1
Klamath County, OR 66.4 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Buchanan 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 Buchanan 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 Buchanan County, Missouri?

    Buchanan County has a County Distress Index score of 66.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 591st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Buchanan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Buchanan County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Buchanan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Buchanan County (66.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Doniphan County, KS (42.0); DeKalb County, MO (41.0); Clinton County, MO (39.4).

  • 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 Serious 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). Buchanan County's score of 66.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Buchanan 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 Buchanan County?

    Buchanan County, Missouri has a population of approximately 82,956 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.