Reynolds County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.0 | 5,950 people · 54th most distressed in Missouri
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Reynolds County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.0 — 1640th 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 54th of 115 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Reynolds County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 88.0 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 88.0
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 85
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 91
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 65.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 66
Consumer Credit Distress 52.6
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 81
Credit Card Delinquency 30
Uninsured Rate 83
Subprime Credit Population 33
Economic Vitality 40.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 19
House Price Change (YoY) 35
Housing Cost Burden 15.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 14
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Reynolds County
Reynolds County, MO 49.0 Normal —
Wayne County, MO 75.2 Serious +26.2
Carter County, MO 67.1 Serious +18.0
Iron County, MO 59.8 Elevated +10.8
Dent County, MO 55.4 Elevated +6.4
Shannon County, MO 49.7 Normal +0.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Reynolds County
Hall County, TX 49.1 Normal +0.1
Martin County, TX 49.1 Normal +0.1
Shackelford County, TX 48.9 Normal -0.1
Greenwood County, KS 48.8 Normal -0.3
Lyon County, KY 48.7 Normal -0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Reynolds 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 Reynolds 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 Reynolds County, Missouri?

    Reynolds County has a County Distress Index score of 49.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,640th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 54th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Reynolds County?

    The primary driver of distress in Reynolds County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 88.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Reynolds County compare to neighboring counties?

    Reynolds County (49.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Wayne County, MO (75.2); Carter County, MO (67.1); Iron County, MO (59.8).

  • 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). Reynolds County's score of 49.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Reynolds 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 Reynolds County?

    Reynolds County, Missouri has a population of approximately 5,950 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.