Johnson County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.8 | 54,962 people · 69th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Johnson County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.8 — 1859th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Missouri, it ranks 69th of 115 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Johnson County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 51.9 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 51.9
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 45
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 51
Housing Cost Burden 51.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 87
Economic Vitality 39.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 58
House Price Change (YoY) 36
Structural Poverty 30.6
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 50
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 26
Disability Rate 29
Transfer Income Dependency 36
Legal Distress 24.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Johnson County, MO 45.8 Normal —
Jackson County, MO 66.3 Serious +20.5
Henry County, MO 62.9 Elevated +17.1
Pettis County, MO 58.0 Elevated +12.2
Lafayette County, MO 54.5 Elevated +8.8
Cass County, MO 49.5 Normal +3.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Tuscola County, MI 45.8 Normal +0.0
Kennebec County, ME 45.8 Normal +0.1
Dickson County, TN 45.9 Normal +0.1
Strafford County, NH 45.9 Normal +0.1
Washington County, UT 45.7 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Johnson 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 Johnson 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Johnson County has a County Distress Index score of 45.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,859th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 69th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Johnson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Johnson County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 51.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Johnson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Johnson County (45.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Jackson County, MO (66.3); Henry County, MO (62.9); Pettis County, MO (58.0).

  • 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). Johnson County's score of 45.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Johnson 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 Johnson County?

    Johnson County, Missouri has a population of approximately 54,962 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.