Oregon County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.5 | 8,720 people · 7th most distressed in Missouri
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Oregon County, MO shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.5 — 372nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Missouri, it ranks 7th of 115 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Oregon County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 84.6 — worse than roughly 85% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 84.6
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 82
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Housing Cost Burden 74.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 86
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 68
Homeownership Rate 37
Consumer Credit Distress 70.3
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 66
Economic Vitality 63.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 22
House Price Change (YoY) 10
Legal Distress 43.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 44

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Oregon County
Oregon County, MO 70.5 Serious —
Ripley County, MO 76.4 Serious +5.9
Carter County, MO 67.1 Serious -3.4
Randolph County, AR 62.3 Elevated -8.2
Howell County, MO 61.2 Elevated -9.3
Sharp County, AR 59.8 Elevated -10.7
Fulton County, AR 59.6 Elevated -10.9
Shannon County, MO 49.7 Normal -20.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Oregon County
Webster County, WV 70.5 Serious +0.0
Wolfe County, KY 70.5 Serious +0.1
Taliaferro County, GA 70.4 Serious -0.1
Perry County, AL 70.7 Serious +0.2
Lowndes County, AL 70.7 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Oregon 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 Oregon 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 Oregon County, Missouri?

    Oregon County has a County Distress Index score of 70.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 372nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Oregon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Oregon County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 84.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Oregon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Oregon County (70.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Ripley County, MO (76.4); Carter County, MO (67.1); Randolph County, AR (62.3).

  • 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 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). Oregon County's score of 70.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Oregon 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 Oregon County?

    Oregon County, Missouri has a population of approximately 8,720 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.