Daviess County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.6 | 8,551 people · 107th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Daviess County, MO ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.6 — 2672nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where household incomes are relatively strong and poverty rates are low. Within Missouri, it ranks 107th 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. Daviess County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 44.1 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 44.1
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 44
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 51
Disability Rate 48
Transfer Income Dependency 61
Economic Vitality 42.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 52
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 26
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Consumer Credit Distress 31.6
Debt in Collections 40
Medical Debt 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 38
Credit Card Delinquency 26
Uninsured Rate 89
Subprime Credit Population 8
Housing Cost Burden 27.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 18
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 44
Homeownership Rate 31
Legal Distress 8.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Daviess County
Daviess County, MO 31.6 Healthy —
Grundy County, MO 47.5 Normal +15.9
Harrison County, MO 45.6 Normal +14.1
Caldwell County, MO 43.1 Normal +11.5
Livingston County, MO 41.0 Normal +9.4
DeKalb County, MO 41.0 Normal +9.4
Gentry County, MO 35.7 Normal +4.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Daviess County
Wayne County, NE 31.6 Healthy +0.0
Hettinger County, ND 31.6 Healthy +0.0
Wrangell City and Borough, AK 31.6 Healthy -0.0
Ferry County, WA 31.6 Healthy -0.0
Edwards County, IL 31.6 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Daviess 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 Daviess 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 Daviess County, Missouri?

    Daviess County has a County Distress Index score of 31.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,672nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 107th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Daviess County?

    The primary driver of distress in Daviess County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 44.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Daviess County compare to neighboring counties?

    Daviess County (31.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Grundy County, MO (47.5); Harrison County, MO (45.6); Caldwell County, MO (43.1).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Daviess County's score of 31.6 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Daviess 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 Daviess County?

    Daviess County, Missouri has a population of approximately 8,551 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.