Greene County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.7 | 304,611 people · 32nd most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Greene County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.7 — 1104th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Missouri, it ranks 32nd of 115 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Greene County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.6 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 57.7
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 39
Auto Loan Delinquency 70
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 63
Legal Distress 55.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 55
Economic Vitality 39.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 30
Rent-to-Income Ratio 58
Business Formation Rate 22
House Price Change (YoY) 65
Structural Poverty 35.8
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 35
Child Poverty Rate 40
Disability Rate 39
Transfer Income Dependency 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Greene County
Greene County, MO 57.7 Elevated —
Dallas County, MO 57.8 Elevated +0.1
Polk County, MO 53.8 Elevated -3.9
Lawrence County, MO 47.1 Normal -10.5
Webster County, MO 44.9 Normal -12.8
Dade County, MO 44.6 Normal -13.1
Christian County, MO 38.2 Normal -19.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Greene County
Cleveland County, OK 57.7 Elevated +0.1
Manatee County, FL 57.4 Elevated -0.3
Dauphin County, PA 57.1 Elevated -0.6
Solano County, CA 57.1 Elevated -0.6
Marion County, OR 58.3 Elevated +0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Greene 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 Greene 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 Greene County, Missouri?

    Greene County has a County Distress Index score of 57.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,104th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Greene County?

    The primary driver of distress in Greene County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Greene County compare to neighboring counties?

    Greene County (57.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Dallas County, MO (57.8); Polk County, MO (53.8); Lawrence County, MO (47.1).

  • 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 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). Greene County's score of 57.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Greene 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 Greene County?

    Greene County, Missouri has a population of approximately 304,611 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.