Clinton County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.4 | 21,548 people · 93rd most distressed in Missouri
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Clinton County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.4 — 2225th 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 93rd of 115 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clinton County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 70.5 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 70.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 73
House Price Change (YoY) 24
Consumer Credit Distress 43.1
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 41
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 13
Uninsured Rate 60
Subprime Credit Population 39
Legal Distress 41.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42
Structural Poverty 29.8
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 18
Income vs. State Median 8
Child Poverty Rate 14
Disability Rate 38
Transfer Income Dependency 45
Housing Cost Burden 23.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 12
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 69
Homeownership Rate 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clinton County
Clinton County, MO 39.4 Normal —
Buchanan County, MO 66.3 Serious +26.8
Clay County, MO 47.0 Normal +7.5
Ray County, MO 46.6 Normal +7.2
Caldwell County, MO 43.1 Normal +3.6
DeKalb County, MO 41.0 Normal +1.5
Platte County, MO 35.7 Normal -3.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clinton County
Freeborn County, MN 39.4 Normal 0.0
Lake County, MT 39.4 Normal 0.0
Ashland County, WI 39.4 Normal -0.0
Teller County, CO 39.4 Normal -0.0
Ellis County, KS 39.4 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clinton 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 Clinton 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 Clinton County, Missouri?

    Clinton County has a County Distress Index score of 39.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,225th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 93rd in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clinton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clinton County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 70.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Clinton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clinton County (39.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Buchanan County, MO (66.3); Clay County, MO (47.0); Ray County, MO (46.6).

  • 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). Clinton County's score of 39.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Clinton 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 Clinton County?

    Clinton County, Missouri has a population of approximately 21,548 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.