Carter County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.1 | 5,303 people · 12th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Carter County, MO shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.1 — 543rd 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 12th of 115 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Carter County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 87.2 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 87.2
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Consumer Credit Distress 68.8
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 85
Uninsured Rate 86
Subprime Credit Population 64
Economic Vitality 66.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 36
House Price Change (YoY) 35
Housing Cost Burden 56.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 89
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 19
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 30
Homeownership Rate 86
Legal Distress 52.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 53

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Carter County
Carter County, MO 67.1 Serious —
Ripley County, MO 76.4 Serious +9.3
Wayne County, MO 75.2 Serious +8.1
Oregon County, MO 70.5 Serious +3.4
Butler County, MO 70.0 Serious +2.9
Shannon County, MO 49.7 Normal -17.4
Reynolds County, MO 49.0 Normal -18.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Carter County
Seminole County, GA 67.1 Serious 0.0
Allendale County, SC 67.3 Serious +0.2
Stewart County, GA 66.9 Serious -0.2
Swisher County, TX 67.3 Serious +0.3
Hickory County, MO 66.8 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Carter 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 Carter 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 Carter County, Missouri?

    Carter County has a County Distress Index score of 67.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 543rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Carter County?

    The primary driver of distress in Carter County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 87.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Carter County compare to neighboring counties?

    Carter County (67.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Ripley County, MO (76.4); Wayne County, MO (75.2); Oregon County, MO (70.5).

  • 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). Carter County's score of 67.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Carter 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 Carter County?

    Carter County, Missouri has a population of approximately 5,303 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.