Polk County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.8 | 32,780 people · 44th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Polk County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.8 — 1351st 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 44th of 115 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Polk County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 59.4 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 59.4
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 42
Credit Card Delinquency 34
Uninsured Rate 87
Subprime Credit Population 52
Housing Cost Burden 58.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 74
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 40
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 65
Structural Poverty 52.1
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 51
Disability Rate 56
Transfer Income Dependency 65
Economic Vitality 33.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 26
Business Formation Rate 41
House Price Change (YoY) 47
Legal Distress 33.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Polk County
Polk County, MO 53.8 Elevated —
Hickory County, MO 66.8 Serious +13.0
Cedar County, MO 58.8 Elevated +5.0
Dallas County, MO 57.8 Elevated +4.0
Greene County, MO 57.7 Elevated +3.9
St. Clair County, MO 56.3 Elevated +2.5
Dade County, MO 44.6 Normal -9.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Polk County
Union County, KY 53.8 Elevated -0.0
Dade County, GA 53.8 Elevated -0.0
Knox County, IN 53.8 Elevated +0.0
Newton County, IN 53.8 Elevated -0.0
Vinton County, OH 53.7 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Polk 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 Polk 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 Polk County, Missouri?

    Polk County has a County Distress Index score of 53.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,351st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Polk County?

    The primary driver of distress in Polk County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 59.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Polk County compare to neighboring counties?

    Polk County (53.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hickory County, MO (66.8); Cedar County, MO (58.8); Dallas County, MO (57.8).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Polk County's score of 53.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Polk 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 Polk County?

    Polk County, Missouri has a population of approximately 32,780 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.