Jackson County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.3 | 718,560 people · 16th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Jackson County, MO shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.3 — 587th 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 16th of 115 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jackson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 82.6 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 82.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 94
Consumer Credit Distress 73.3
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 73
Subprime Credit Population 71
Legal Distress 70.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 71
Economic Vitality 41.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 78
Business Formation Rate 8
House Price Change (YoY) 57
Structural Poverty 29.9
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 19
Child Poverty Rate 34
Disability Rate 25
Transfer Income Dependency 25

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Jackson County, MO 66.3 Serious —
Wyandotte County, KS 75.9 Serious +9.6
Lafayette County, MO 54.5 Elevated -11.8
Cass County, MO 49.5 Normal -16.8
Clay County, MO 47.0 Normal -19.3
Ray County, MO 46.6 Normal -19.7
Johnson County, MO 45.8 Normal -20.5
Johnson County, KS 27.1 Healthy -39.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Hampden County, MA 66.5 Serious +0.2
Montgomery County, OH 66.5 Serious +0.2
Tulare County, CA 66.6 Serious +0.3
Lucas County, OH 66.8 Serious +0.5
Atlantic County, NJ 66.9 Serious +0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Jackson County.

COMMUNITY SERVICES LEAGUE
Independence
816-254-4100 Website
Financial CounselingFair HousingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase
CREDIT & HOMEOWNERSHIP EMPOWERMENT SERVICES, INC.
KANSAS CITY
816-533-7417 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF KANSAS CITY
Kansas City
816-924-1096
Foreclosure PreventionHome Improvement/RehabPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
NSC (NACA COUNSELING SUBSIDIARY) - KANSAS CITY, MO
Kansas City
816-531-6222 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingPost-Purchase

See all counselors in Missouri →

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 Jackson 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Missouri →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Jackson County has a County Distress Index score of 66.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 587th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 82.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Jackson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson County (66.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Wyandotte County, KS (75.9); Lafayette County, MO (54.5); Cass County, MO (49.5).

  • 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 Serious 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). Jackson County's score of 66.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Jackson 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 Jackson County?

    Jackson County, Missouri has a population of approximately 718,560 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.