Grundy County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.5 | 9,815 people · 60th most distressed in Missouri
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Grundy County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.5 — 1747th 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 60th of 115 counties. It scores higher 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. Grundy County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 65.3 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 65.3
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 68
Income vs. State Median 82
Child Poverty Rate 67
Disability Rate 25
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Economic Vitality 52.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 52
Rent-to-Income Ratio 58
Business Formation Rate 47
House Price Change (YoY) 51
Consumer Credit Distress 50.7
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 56
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 93
Subprime Credit Population 22
Housing Cost Burden 36.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 25
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 73
Legal Distress 20.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Grundy County
Grundy County, MO 47.5 Normal —
Harrison County, MO 45.6 Normal -1.8
Sullivan County, MO 45.4 Normal -2.1
Linn County, MO 42.9 Normal -4.6
Livingston County, MO 41.0 Normal -6.5
Mercer County, MO 34.0 Healthy -13.5
Daviess County, MO 31.6 Healthy -15.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Grundy County
Fisher County, TX 47.5 Normal -0.0
Hemphill County, TX 47.5 Normal +0.1
Cameron County, PA 47.6 Normal +0.1
Concho County, TX 47.6 Normal +0.1
Upton County, TX 47.3 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Grundy 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 Grundy 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Grundy County, Missouri?

    Grundy County has a County Distress Index score of 47.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,747th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 60th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Grundy County?

    The primary driver of distress in Grundy County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 65.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Grundy County compare to neighboring counties?

    Grundy County (47.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Harrison County, MO (45.6); Sullivan County, MO (45.4); Linn County, MO (42.9).

  • 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). Grundy County's score of 47.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Grundy 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 Grundy County?

    Grundy County, Missouri has a population of approximately 9,815 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.