Douglas County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.8 | 12,228 people · 47th most distressed in Missouri
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Douglas County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.8 — 1415th 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 47th of 115 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Douglas County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 79.5 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 79.5
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 94
Child Poverty Rate 77
Disability Rate 83
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Economic Vitality 66.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 22
House Price Change (YoY) 79
Consumer Credit Distress 58.5
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 87
Credit Card Delinquency 65
Uninsured Rate 73
Subprime Credit Population 47
Legal Distress 35.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Housing Cost Burden 24.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 19
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Douglas County
Douglas County, MO 52.8 Elevated —
Taney County, MO 63.4 Elevated +10.6
Howell County, MO 61.2 Elevated +8.4
Texas County, MO 61.0 Elevated +8.2
Wright County, MO 53.9 Elevated +1.0
Webster County, MO 44.9 Normal -8.0
Ozark County, MO 42.1 Normal -10.8
Christian County, MO 38.2 Normal -14.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Douglas County
Marshall County, WV 52.8 Elevated +0.0
Russell County, VA 52.8 Elevated -0.0
Tallapoosa County, AL 52.7 Elevated -0.1
Owyhee County, ID 52.9 Elevated +0.1
Cannon County, TN 52.7 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Douglas 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 Douglas 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 Douglas County, Missouri?

    Douglas County has a County Distress Index score of 52.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,415th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Douglas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Douglas County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 79.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Douglas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Douglas County (52.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Taney County, MO (63.4); Howell County, MO (61.2); Texas County, MO (61.0).

  • 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). Douglas County's score of 52.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Douglas 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 Douglas County?

    Douglas County, Missouri has a population of approximately 12,228 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.