Howard County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.4 | 10,101 people · 49th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Howard County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.4 — 1548th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Missouri, it ranks 49th of 115 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Howard County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 65.3 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 65.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 56
Business Formation Rate 41
House Price Change (YoY) 86
Housing Cost Burden 62.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 65
Homeownership Rate 18
Consumer Credit Distress 46.3
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 68
Auto Loan Delinquency 64
Credit Card Delinquency 33
Uninsured Rate 51
Subprime Credit Population 34
Structural Poverty 42.5
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 32
Disability Rate 46
Transfer Income Dependency 61
Legal Distress 35.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 36

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Howard County
Howard County, MO 50.4 Elevated —
Saline County, MO 63.4 Elevated +12.9
Randolph County, MO 61.8 Elevated +11.4
Boone County, MO 46.9 Normal -3.5
Cooper County, MO 43.1 Normal -7.3
Chariton County, MO 27.5 Healthy -22.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Howard County
Itawamba County, MS 50.5 Elevated +0.0
Macon County, NC 50.5 Elevated +0.1
Pamlico County, NC 50.5 Elevated +0.1
Pontotoc County, OK 50.5 Elevated +0.1
Andrews County, TX 50.3 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Howard 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 Howard 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 Howard County, Missouri?

    Howard County has a County Distress Index score of 50.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,548th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 49th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Howard County?

    The primary driver of distress in Howard County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 65.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Howard County compare to neighboring counties?

    Howard County (50.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Saline County, MO (63.4); Randolph County, MO (61.8); Boone County, MO (46.9).

  • 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 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). Howard County's score of 50.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Howard 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 Howard County?

    Howard County, Missouri has a population of approximately 10,101 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.