New Madrid County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.1 | 15,424 people · 8th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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New Madrid County, MO shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.1 — 385th 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 8th of 115 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. New Madrid County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 87.0 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 87.0
Debt in Collections 94
Medical Debt 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 80
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 85
Legal Distress 84.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 85
Structural Poverty 72.8
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 61
Child Poverty Rate 82
Disability Rate 80
Transfer Income Dependency 75
Housing Cost Burden 40.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 14
Homeownership Rate 87
Economic Vitality 39.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 49
House Price Change (YoY) 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. New Madrid County
New Madrid County, MO 70.1 Serious —
Pemiscot County, MO 87.1 Crisis +17.0
Mississippi County, MO 82.0 Crisis +11.9
Fulton County, KY 79.9 Serious +9.8
Dunklin County, MO 79.2 Serious +9.1
Lake County, TN 71.8 Serious +1.7
Scott County, MO 67.0 Serious -3.1
Stoddard County, MO 58.2 Elevated -11.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. New Madrid County
Clarke County, MS 70.1 Serious +0.0
Estill County, KY 70.0 Serious -0.0
St. Helena Parish, LA 70.0 Serious -0.1
Duplin County, NC 70.0 Serious -0.1
Butler County, MO 70.0 Serious -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for New Madrid County as a CSV file.

Find Help in New Madrid 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 New Madrid 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 New Madrid County, Missouri?

    New Madrid County has a County Distress Index score of 70.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 385th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in New Madrid County?

    The primary driver of distress in New Madrid County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 87.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does New Madrid County compare to neighboring counties?

    New Madrid County (70.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Pemiscot County, MO (87.1); Mississippi County, MO (82.0); Fulton County, KY (79.9).

  • 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 Serious 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). New Madrid County's score of 70.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power New Madrid County's CDI score?

    New Madrid 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 New Madrid County?

    New Madrid County, Missouri has a population of approximately 15,424 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.