Cedar County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.8 | 14,672 people · 27th most distressed in Missouri
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Cedar County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.8 — 1030th 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 27th of 115 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cedar County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 75.0 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.0
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 66
Disability Rate 87
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 73.0
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 93
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Uninsured Rate 88
Subprime Credit Population 66
Economic Vitality 56.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 53
House Price Change (YoY) 42
Housing Cost Burden 36.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 27
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 53
Legal Distress 8.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cedar County
Cedar County, MO 58.8 Elevated —
St. Clair County, MO 56.3 Elevated -2.5
Polk County, MO 53.8 Elevated -5.0
Vernon County, MO 53.1 Elevated -5.6
Barton County, MO 51.6 Elevated -7.2
Dade County, MO 44.6 Normal -14.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cedar County
Meigs County, OH 58.8 Elevated -0.0
Hart County, KY 58.8 Elevated -0.0
Perry County, OH 58.8 Elevated +0.0
Blackford County, IN 58.7 Elevated -0.1
Wayne County, TN 58.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cedar 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 Cedar 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 Cedar County, Missouri?

    Cedar County has a County Distress Index score of 58.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,030th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cedar County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cedar County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Cedar County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cedar County (58.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: St. Clair County, MO (56.3); Polk County, MO (53.8); Vernon County, MO (53.1).

  • 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). Cedar County's score of 58.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Cedar 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 Cedar County?

    Cedar County, Missouri has a population of approximately 14,672 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.