Lafayette County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.5 | 33,196 people · 42nd most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Lafayette County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.5 — 1303rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Missouri, it ranks 42nd of 115 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lafayette County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 72.5 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 72.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 40
House Price Change (YoY) 18
Legal Distress 68.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 68
Consumer Credit Distress 57.6
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 61
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 58
Subprime Credit Population 54
Housing Cost Burden 45.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 33
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 38
Structural Poverty 38.4
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 31
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 29
Disability Rate 50
Transfer Income Dependency 63

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lafayette County
Lafayette County, MO 54.5 Elevated —
Jackson County, MO 66.3 Serious +11.8
Saline County, MO 63.4 Elevated +8.8
Pettis County, MO 58.0 Elevated +3.4
Ray County, MO 46.6 Normal -7.9
Johnson County, MO 45.8 Normal -8.8
Carroll County, MO 43.2 Normal -11.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lafayette County
Grayson County, VA 54.6 Elevated +0.0
Murray County, OK 54.6 Elevated +0.0
Grainger County, TN 54.5 Elevated -0.0
Scott County, VA 54.5 Elevated -0.1
Greenbrier County, WV 54.6 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lafayette 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 Lafayette 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 Lafayette County, Missouri?

    Lafayette County has a County Distress Index score of 54.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,303rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lafayette County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lafayette County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 72.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Lafayette County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lafayette County (54.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jackson County, MO (66.3); Saline County, MO (63.4); 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 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). Lafayette County's score of 54.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lafayette 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 Lafayette County?

    Lafayette County, Missouri has a population of approximately 33,196 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.