Platte County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.7 | 111,940 people · 100th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Platte County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.7 — 2438th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filings are moderately elevated. Within Missouri, it ranks 100th 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. Platte County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 62.8 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 62.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Housing Cost Burden 51.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 64
Homeownership Rate 80
Economic Vitality 41.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 20
House Price Change (YoY) 32
Consumer Credit Distress 31.2
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 40
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 21
Uninsured Rate 28
Subprime Credit Population 32
Structural Poverty 7.5
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 1
Disability Rate 22
Transfer Income Dependency 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Platte County
Platte County, MO 35.7 Normal —
Wyandotte County, KS 75.9 Serious +40.2
Buchanan County, MO 66.3 Serious +30.5
Clay County, MO 47.0 Normal +11.3
Leavenworth County, KS 43.1 Normal +7.3
Clinton County, MO 39.4 Normal +3.7
Atchison County, KS 39.0 Normal +3.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Platte County
Tazewell County, IL 35.8 Normal +0.0
Grand Forks County, ND 35.7 Normal -0.1
Barry County, MI 35.6 Normal -0.1
Ontario County, NY 35.9 Normal +0.2
Somerset County, PA 35.9 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Platte 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 Platte 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 Platte County, Missouri?

    Platte County has a County Distress Index score of 35.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,438th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 100th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Platte County?

    The primary driver of distress in Platte County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 62.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Platte County compare to neighboring counties?

    Platte County (35.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wyandotte County, KS (75.9); Buchanan County, MO (66.3); Clay County, MO (47.0).

  • 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). Platte County's score of 35.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Platte 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 Platte County?

    Platte County, Missouri has a population of approximately 111,940 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.