Monroe County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.3 | 8,698 people · 90th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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

Monroe County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.2 — 2177th 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 90th of 115 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Monroe County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 49.6 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 49.6
Debt in Collections 46
Medical Debt 57
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 74
Subprime Credit Population 40
Structural Poverty 49.2
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 40
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 37
Disability Rate 47
Transfer Income Dependency 65
Economic Vitality 44.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 33
Business Formation Rate 57
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 21.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 14
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 47
Legal Distress 13.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Monroe County
Monroe County, MO 40.3 Normal —
Randolph County, MO 61.8 Elevated +21.5
Audrain County, MO 57.4 Elevated +17.2
Marion County, MO 47.7 Normal +7.5
Macon County, MO 44.3 Normal +4.0
Ralls County, MO 32.8 Healthy -7.5
Shelby County, MO 28.2 Healthy -12.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Monroe County
Furnas County, NE 40.2 Normal -0.0
Cameron Parish, LA 40.2 Normal -0.0
Lexington city, VA 40.4 Normal +0.1
Ballard County, KY 40.1 Normal -0.2
Mason County, TX 40.1 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe County, Missouri?

    Monroe County has a County Distress Index score of 40.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,177th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 90th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Monroe County?

    The primary driver of distress in Monroe County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 49.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Monroe County compare to neighboring counties?

    Monroe County (40.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Randolph County, MO (61.8); Audrain County, MO (57.4); Marion County, MO (47.7).

  • 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). Monroe County's score of 40.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Monroe 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 Monroe County?

    Monroe County, Missouri has a population of approximately 8,698 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.