Crawford County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.4 | 22,719 people · 40th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Crawford County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.4 — 1250th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Missouri, it ranks 40th of 115 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Crawford County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 66.7 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 66.7
Debt in Collections 71
Medical Debt 79
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 48
Uninsured Rate 83
Subprime Credit Population 69
Structural Poverty 64.0
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 54
Child Poverty Rate 66
Disability Rate 84
Transfer Income Dependency 73
Legal Distress 46.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 46
Housing Cost Burden 36.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 20
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 81
Homeownership Rate 60
Economic Vitality 36.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31
Business Formation Rate 81
House Price Change (YoY) 36

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Crawford County
Crawford County, MO 55.4 Elevated —
Washington County, MO 69.1 Serious +13.7
Iron County, MO 59.8 Elevated +4.4
Dent County, MO 55.4 Elevated +0.0
Phelps County, MO 54.7 Elevated -0.7
Franklin County, MO 44.2 Normal -11.2
Gasconade County, MO 42.1 Normal -13.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Crawford County
Logan County, KY 55.4 Elevated +0.0
Dent County, MO 55.4 Elevated +0.0
Logan County, AR 55.5 Elevated +0.1
Switzerland County, IN 55.5 Elevated +0.1
Hancock County, MS 55.5 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Crawford 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 Crawford 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 Crawford County, Missouri?

    Crawford County has a County Distress Index score of 55.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,250th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Crawford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Crawford County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 66.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Crawford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Crawford County (55.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Washington County, MO (69.1); Iron County, MO (59.8); Dent County, MO (55.4).

  • 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). Crawford County's score of 55.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Crawford 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 Crawford County?

    Crawford County, Missouri has a population of approximately 22,719 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.