Caldwell County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.1 | 8,955 people · 82nd most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Caldwell County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.1 — 2008th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Missouri, it ranks 82nd 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. Caldwell County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 75.9 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 75.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 19
House Price Change (YoY) 64
Consumer Credit Distress 54.2
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 27
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 30
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 53
Structural Poverty 40.1
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 33
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 35
Disability Rate 33
Transfer Income Dependency 60
Legal Distress 36.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 36
Housing Cost Burden 9.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 7
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 7
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Caldwell County
Caldwell County, MO 43.1 Normal —
Ray County, MO 46.6 Normal +3.6
Carroll County, MO 43.2 Normal +0.1
Livingston County, MO 41.0 Normal -2.1
DeKalb County, MO 41.0 Normal -2.1
Clinton County, MO 39.4 Normal -3.6
Daviess County, MO 31.6 Healthy -11.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Caldwell County
Ochiltree County, TX 42.9 Normal -0.1
Carroll County, MO 43.2 Normal +0.1
Decatur County, IA 43.3 Normal +0.2
Ziebach County, SD 42.8 Normal -0.3
Yoakum County, TX 42.8 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Caldwell 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 Caldwell 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Caldwell County has a County Distress Index score of 43.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,008th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 82nd in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Caldwell County?

    The primary driver of distress in Caldwell County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 75.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Caldwell County compare to neighboring counties?

    Caldwell County (43.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Ray County, MO (46.6); Carroll County, MO (43.2); Livingston County, MO (41.0).

  • 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 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). Caldwell County's score of 43.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Caldwell 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 Caldwell County?

    Caldwell County, Missouri has a population of approximately 8,955 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.