Jasper County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Serious · 66.8 | 125,056 people · 15th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Jasper County, MO shows significant household financial distress with a score of 66.8 — 566th 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 15th 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. Jasper County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 76.6 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 76.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 49
Homeownership Rate 88
Consumer Credit Distress 74.9
Debt in Collections 74
Medical Debt 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 75
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Uninsured Rate 81
Subprime Credit Population 75
Legal Distress 52.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 53
Structural Poverty 50.5
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 51
Disability Rate 54
Transfer Income Dependency 50
Economic Vitality 36.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 38
House Price Change (YoY) 51

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jasper County
Jasper County, MO 66.8 Serious —
Crawford County, KS 64.4 Elevated -2.4
Barton County, MO 51.6 Elevated -15.2
Cherokee County, KS 51.0 Elevated -15.7
Lawrence County, MO 47.1 Normal -19.6
Newton County, MO 45.6 Normal -21.1
Dade County, MO 44.6 Normal -22.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jasper County
Kings County, CA 66.8 Serious -0.0
Sampson County, NC 66.8 Serious +0.0
Terrebonne Parish, LA 66.8 Serious +0.0
Lee County, MS 66.9 Serious +0.1
Coryell County, TX 66.6 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jasper 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 Jasper 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 Jasper County, Missouri?

    Jasper County has a County Distress Index score of 66.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 566th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 15th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jasper County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jasper County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Jasper County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jasper County (66.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Crawford County, KS (64.4); Barton County, MO (51.6); Cherokee County, KS (51.0).

  • 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 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). Jasper County's score of 66.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Jasper 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 Jasper County?

    Jasper County, Missouri has a population of approximately 125,056 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.