Henry County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.9 | 22,485 people · 21st most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Henry County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.9 — 777th 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 21st 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. Henry County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 73.8 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 73.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 86
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 67
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 53
Legal Distress 69.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Structural Poverty 64.6
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 71
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 80
Consumer Credit Distress 62.0
Debt in Collections 64
Medical Debt 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 56
Credit Card Delinquency 54
Uninsured Rate 70
Subprime Credit Population 63
Economic Vitality 33.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31
Business Formation Rate 48
House Price Change (YoY) 83

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Henry County
Henry County, MO 62.9 Elevated —
Benton County, MO 62.5 Elevated -0.3
Bates County, MO 58.2 Elevated -4.7
Pettis County, MO 58.0 Elevated -4.9
St. Clair County, MO 56.3 Elevated -6.6
Cass County, MO 49.5 Normal -13.4
Johnson County, MO 45.8 Normal -17.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Henry County
Sevier County, AR 62.9 Elevated 0.0
Holmes County, FL 62.8 Elevated -0.1
Shelby County, TX 62.8 Elevated -0.1
McDowell County, WV 63.0 Elevated +0.1
Grundy County, TN 63.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Henry 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 Henry 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 Henry County, Missouri?

    Henry County has a County Distress Index score of 62.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 777th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Henry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Henry County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 73.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Henry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Henry County (62.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Benton County, MO (62.5); Bates County, MO (58.2); Pettis County, MO (58.0).

  • 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). Henry County's score of 62.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Henry 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 Henry County?

    Henry County, Missouri has a population of approximately 22,485 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.