Newton County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.6 | 60,677 people · 70th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Newton County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.6 — 1865th 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 70th of 115 counties. It scores lower 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. Newton County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 64.4 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 64.4
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Uninsured Rate 82
Subprime Credit Population 74
Structural Poverty 35.3
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 43
Disability Rate 39
Transfer Income Dependency 34
Housing Cost Burden 28.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 19
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 46
Homeownership Rate 37
Economic Vitality 26.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 49
Legal Distress 20.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Newton County
Newton County, MO 45.6 Normal —
Ottawa County, OK 71.5 Serious +25.8
Jasper County, MO 66.8 Serious +21.1
McDonald County, MO 55.8 Elevated +10.2
Cherokee County, KS 51.0 Elevated +5.4
Barry County, MO 49.3 Normal +3.6
Lawrence County, MO 47.1 Normal +1.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Newton County
Washington County, UT 45.7 Normal +0.0
Campbell County, KY 45.6 Normal -0.1
Johnson County, MO 45.8 Normal +0.1
Tuscola County, MI 45.8 Normal +0.2
Kennebec County, ME 45.8 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Newton 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 Newton 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 Newton County, Missouri?

    Newton County has a County Distress Index score of 45.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,865th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 70th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Newton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Newton County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 64.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Newton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Newton County (45.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Ottawa County, OK (71.5); Jasper County, MO (66.8); McDonald County, MO (55.8).

  • 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). Newton County's score of 45.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Newton 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 Newton County?

    Newton County, Missouri has a population of approximately 60,677 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.