Iron County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.8 | 9,440 people · 26th most distressed in Missouri
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Iron County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.8 — 963rd 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 26th of 115 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Iron County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 83.3 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 83.3
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 83
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 62.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Housing Cost Burden 59.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 40
Consumer Credit Distress 57.8
Debt in Collections 73
Medical Debt 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 61
Credit Card Delinquency 15
Uninsured Rate 71
Subprime Credit Population 60
Economic Vitality 35.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 59
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Iron County
Iron County, MO 59.8 Elevated —
Wayne County, MO 75.2 Serious +15.4
Washington County, MO 69.1 Serious +9.3
St. Francois County, MO 67.6 Serious +7.8
Madison County, MO 63.0 Elevated +3.2
Dent County, MO 55.4 Elevated -4.4
Crawford County, MO 55.4 Elevated -4.4
Reynolds County, MO 49.0 Normal -10.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Iron County
Ohio County, IN 59.8 Elevated -0.1
Leslie County, KY 59.9 Elevated +0.1
Jack County, TX 59.7 Elevated -0.1
Choctaw County, MS 59.7 Elevated -0.2
Donley County, TX 59.6 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Iron 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 Iron 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 Iron County, Missouri?

    Iron County has a County Distress Index score of 59.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 963rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Iron County?

    The primary driver of distress in Iron County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 83.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Iron County compare to neighboring counties?

    Iron County (59.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Wayne County, MO (75.2); Washington County, MO (69.1); St. Francois County, MO (67.6).

  • 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). Iron County's score of 59.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Iron 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 Iron County?

    Iron County, Missouri has a population of approximately 9,440 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.