McDonald County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.8 | 23,903 people · 37th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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McDonald County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.8 — 1220th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Missouri, it ranks 37th of 115 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. McDonald County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 75.7 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 75.7
Debt in Collections 79
Medical Debt 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 87
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Uninsured Rate 97
Subprime Credit Population 81
Structural Poverty 56.8
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 37
Transfer Income Dependency 49
Economic Vitality 40.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 42
Rent-to-Income Ratio 34
Business Formation Rate 62
House Price Change (YoY) 10
Housing Cost Burden 32.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 11
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 82
Homeownership Rate 78
Legal Distress 16.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McDonald County
McDonald County, MO 55.8 Elevated —
Ottawa County, OK 71.5 Serious +15.7
Delaware County, OK 68.3 Serious +12.4
Barry County, MO 49.3 Normal -6.6
Newton County, MO 45.6 Normal -10.2
Benton County, AR 34.2 Healthy -21.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McDonald County
Prince George County, VA 55.8 Elevated +0.0
Montgomery County, KY 55.8 Elevated -0.0
Fentress County, TN 55.8 Elevated +0.0
Winston County, AL 55.8 Elevated -0.0
Wakulla County, FL 55.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in McDonald 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 McDonald 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 McDonald County, Missouri?

    McDonald County has a County Distress Index score of 55.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,220th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 37th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McDonald County?

    The primary driver of distress in McDonald County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 75.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does McDonald County compare to neighboring counties?

    McDonald County (55.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Ottawa County, OK (71.5); Delaware County, OK (68.3); 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 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). McDonald County's score of 55.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    McDonald 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 McDonald County?

    McDonald County, Missouri has a population of approximately 23,903 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.