Camden County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.0 | 44,044 people · 96th most distressed in Missouri
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Camden County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.0 — 2361st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Missouri, it ranks 96th of 115 counties. It scores lower 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. Camden County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 49.5 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 49.5
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 28
Income vs. State Median 23
Child Poverty Rate 45
Disability Rate 67
Transfer Income Dependency 68
Consumer Credit Distress 37.9
Debt in Collections 39
Medical Debt 63
Auto Loan Delinquency 26
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 25
Housing Cost Burden 35.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 34
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 7
Economic Vitality 28.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 42
Rent-to-Income Ratio 16
Business Formation Rate 12
House Price Change (YoY) 29
Legal Distress 23.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Camden County
Camden County, MO 37.0 Normal —
Hickory County, MO 66.8 Serious +29.8
Benton County, MO 62.5 Elevated +25.5
Dallas County, MO 57.8 Elevated +20.8
Morgan County, MO 57.4 Elevated +20.4
Laclede County, MO 55.5 Elevated +18.5
Miller County, MO 48.2 Normal +11.2
Pulaski County, MO 47.5 Normal +10.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Camden County
Harrison County, IA 37.1 Normal +0.0
Windham County, VT 37.0 Normal -0.1
Warren County, PA 36.9 Normal -0.1
Jersey County, IL 36.9 Normal -0.1
Ashe County, NC 37.2 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Camden 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 Camden 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 Camden County, Missouri?

    Camden County has a County Distress Index score of 37.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,361st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 96th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Camden County?

    The primary driver of distress in Camden County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 49.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Camden County compare to neighboring counties?

    Camden County (37.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Hickory County, MO (66.8); Benton County, MO (62.5); Dallas County, MO (57.8).

  • 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 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). Camden County's score of 37.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Camden 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 Camden County?

    Camden County, Missouri has a population of approximately 44,044 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.