Lawrence County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.1 | 38,872 people · 62nd most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Lawrence County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.1 — 1770th 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 62nd of 115 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lawrence County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 53.6 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 53.6
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Uninsured Rate 89
Subprime Credit Population 54
Structural Poverty 53.2
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 61
Disability Rate 48
Transfer Income Dependency 69
Housing Cost Burden 40.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 44
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 23
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 60
Homeownership Rate 58
Legal Distress 33.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34
Economic Vitality 32.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 43
House Price Change (YoY) 77

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lawrence County
Lawrence County, MO 47.1 Normal —
Jasper County, MO 66.8 Serious +19.6
Greene County, MO 57.7 Elevated +10.5
Barry County, MO 49.3 Normal +2.1
Newton County, MO 45.6 Normal -1.5
Dade County, MO 44.6 Normal -2.6
Stone County, MO 39.5 Normal -7.6
Christian County, MO 38.2 Normal -9.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lawrence County
Finney County, KS 47.1 Normal -0.0
Nelson County, KY 47.2 Normal +0.0
Young County, TX 47.2 Normal +0.0
Braxton County, WV 47.2 Normal +0.1
Bethel Census Area, AK 47.0 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence County, Missouri?

    Lawrence County has a County Distress Index score of 47.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,770th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 62nd in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lawrence County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lawrence County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 53.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Lawrence County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lawrence County (47.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jasper County, MO (66.8); Greene County, MO (57.7); Barry County, MO (49.3).

  • 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). Lawrence County's score of 47.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Lawrence 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 Lawrence County?

    Lawrence County, Missouri has a population of approximately 38,872 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.