Ray County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.6 | 23,182 people · 67th most distressed in Missouri
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Ray County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.6 — 1803rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Missouri, it ranks 67th of 115 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ray County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 72.0 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 72.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 24
Legal Distress 51.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 52
Consumer Credit Distress 50.6
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 29
Uninsured Rate 63
Subprime Credit Population 62
Housing Cost Burden 34.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 34
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 33
Structural Poverty 32.7
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 23
Disability Rate 37
Transfer Income Dependency 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ray County
Ray County, MO 46.6 Normal —
Jackson County, MO 66.3 Serious +19.7
Lafayette County, MO 54.5 Elevated +7.9
Clay County, MO 47.0 Normal +0.3
Carroll County, MO 43.2 Normal -3.4
Caldwell County, MO 43.1 Normal -3.6
Clinton County, MO 39.4 Normal -7.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ray County
Clay County, IN 46.6 Normal -0.0
Stokes County, NC 46.6 Normal -0.0
Pike County, MO 46.6 Normal -0.0
Alexander County, NC 46.7 Normal +0.0
Fayette County, TX 46.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ray 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 Ray 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 Ray County, Missouri?

    Ray County has a County Distress Index score of 46.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,803rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 67th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ray County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ray County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 72.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Ray County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ray County (46.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jackson County, MO (66.3); Lafayette County, MO (54.5); 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). Ray County's score of 46.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Ray 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 Ray County?

    Ray County, Missouri has a population of approximately 23,182 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.