Marion County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.7 | 28,336 people · 58th most distressed in Missouri
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Marion County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.7 — 1728th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filings are moderately elevated. Within Missouri, it ranks 58th 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. Marion County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 61.6 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 61.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 62
Consumer Credit Distress 51.7
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 59
Credit Card Delinquency 42
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 53
Structural Poverty 45.4
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 35
Disability Rate 49
Transfer Income Dependency 73
Housing Cost Burden 44.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 71
Economic Vitality 26.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 26
Business Formation Rate 39
House Price Change (YoY) 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Marion County, MO 47.7 Normal —
Pike County, IL 46.5 Normal -1.2
Adams County, IL 44.8 Normal -2.9
Lewis County, MO 44.0 Normal -3.8
Monroe County, MO 40.3 Normal -7.5
Ralls County, MO 32.8 Healthy -15.0
Shelby County, MO 28.2 Healthy -19.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marion County
Lee County, IA 47.7 Normal -0.0
Preston County, WV 47.8 Normal +0.1
McKean County, PA 47.8 Normal +0.1
Champaign County, OH 47.6 Normal -0.1
Alleghany County, VA 47.9 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Marion 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 Marion 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 Marion County, Missouri?

    Marion County has a County Distress Index score of 47.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,728th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marion County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marion County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 61.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Marion County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marion County (47.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Pike County, IL (46.5); Adams County, IL (44.8); Lewis County, MO (44.0).

  • 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). Marion County's score of 47.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Marion 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 Marion County?

    Marion County, Missouri has a population of approximately 28,336 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.