Howell County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.2 | 40,735 people · 24th most distressed in Missouri
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Howell County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.2 — 875th 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 24th 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. Howell County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 73.4 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 73.4
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 71
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 62
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Consumer Credit Distress 68.5
Debt in Collections 63
Medical Debt 60
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 86
Subprime Credit Population 56
Housing Cost Burden 60.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 52
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 66
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 75
Economic Vitality 44.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 46
House Price Change (YoY) 31
Legal Distress 14.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Howell County
Howell County, MO 61.2 Elevated —
Oregon County, MO 70.5 Serious +9.3
Texas County, MO 61.0 Elevated -0.1
Fulton County, AR 59.6 Elevated -1.6
Douglas County, MO 52.8 Elevated -8.4
Shannon County, MO 49.7 Normal -11.5
Ozark County, MO 42.1 Normal -19.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Howell County
Newton County, TX 61.2 Elevated +0.0
Tazewell County, VA 61.2 Elevated +0.0
Oglethorpe County, GA 61.1 Elevated -0.0
Randolph County, WV 61.1 Elevated -0.0
Grant Parish, LA 61.1 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Howell 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 Howell 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 Howell County, Missouri?

    Howell County has a County Distress Index score of 61.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 875th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Howell County?

    The primary driver of distress in Howell County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 73.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Howell County compare to neighboring counties?

    Howell County (61.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Oregon County, MO (70.5); Texas County, MO (61.0); Fulton County, AR (59.6).

  • 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). Howell County's score of 61.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Howell 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 Howell County?

    Howell County, Missouri has a population of approximately 40,735 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.