Jefferson County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.6 | 231,230 people · 84th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Jefferson County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.6 — 2034th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Missouri, it ranks 84th of 115 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jefferson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 76.2 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 76.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Economic Vitality 56.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 62
House Price Change (YoY) 47
Consumer Credit Distress 45.2
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 54
Auto Loan Delinquency 44
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Uninsured Rate 43
Subprime Credit Population 41
Housing Cost Burden 35.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 38
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 69
Homeownership Rate 13
Structural Poverty 18.1
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 14
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 14
Disability Rate 27
Transfer Income Dependency 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, MO 42.6 Normal —
Washington County, MO 69.1 Serious +26.5
St. Francois County, MO 67.6 Serious +25.0
St. Louis County, MO 49.0 Normal +6.4
Franklin County, MO 44.2 Normal +1.6
Ste. Genevieve County, MO 30.6 Healthy -12.0
Monroe County, IL 20.1 Healthy -22.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Boone County, KY 42.5 Normal -0.1
Pennington County, SD 42.7 Normal +0.1
Dearborn County, IN 42.5 Normal -0.1
Northwest Hills Planning Region, CT 42.5 Normal -0.1
Hancock County, ME 42.4 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, Missouri?

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 42.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,034th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 84th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 76.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (42.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Washington County, MO (69.1); St. Francois County, MO (67.6); St. Louis County, MO (49.0).

  • 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 Normal 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). Jefferson County's score of 42.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, Missouri has a population of approximately 231,230 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.