Dade County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.6 | 7,716 people · 76th most distressed in Missouri
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Dade County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.6 — 1924th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Missouri, it ranks 76th of 115 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dade County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 59.3 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 59.3
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 60
Child Poverty Rate 64
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Consumer Credit Distress 57.4
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 30
Credit Card Delinquency 83
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 46
Economic Vitality 52.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Rent-to-Income Ratio 37
Business Formation Rate 31
House Price Change (YoY) 82
Housing Cost Burden 17.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 51
Homeownership Rate 39
Legal Distress 5.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dade County
Dade County, MO 44.6 Normal —
Jasper County, MO 66.8 Serious +22.2
Cedar County, MO 58.8 Elevated +14.2
Greene County, MO 57.7 Elevated +13.1
Polk County, MO 53.8 Elevated +9.2
Barton County, MO 51.6 Elevated +7.0
Lawrence County, MO 47.1 Normal +2.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dade County
Woodson County, KS 44.6 Normal 0.0
Coke County, TX 44.7 Normal +0.1
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK 44.5 Normal -0.1
Presidio County, TX 44.7 Normal +0.1
Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AK 44.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dade 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 Dade 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 Dade County, Missouri?

    Dade County has a County Distress Index score of 44.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,924th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 76th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dade County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dade County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 59.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Dade County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dade County (44.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jasper County, MO (66.8); Cedar County, MO (58.8); Greene County, MO (57.7).

  • 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). Dade County's score of 44.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Dade 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 Dade County?

    Dade County, Missouri has a population of approximately 7,716 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.