Scotland County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.3 | 4,676 people · 106th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Scotland County, MO ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.3 — 2632nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages keep pace with costs, business formation is healthy, and the local economy shows resilience. Within Missouri, it ranks 106th of 115 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Scotland County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 43.5 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 43.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 60
House Price Change (YoY) 35
Structural Poverty 35.1
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 46
Child Poverty Rate 40
Disability Rate 13
Transfer Income Dependency 34
Consumer Credit Distress 34.5
Debt in Collections 24
Medical Debt 55
Auto Loan Delinquency 60
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 11
Housing Cost Burden 30.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 7
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Scotland County
Scotland County, MO 32.3 Healthy —
Clark County, MO 53.1 Elevated +20.8
Adair County, MO 48.5 Normal +16.1
Van Buren County, IA 39.8 Normal +7.5
Schuyler County, MO 37.0 Normal +4.7
Knox County, MO 31.4 Healthy -0.9
Davis County, IA 22.3 Healthy -10.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Scotland County
Howard County, NE 32.4 Healthy +0.0
Richardson County, NE 32.3 Healthy -0.0
Piute County, UT 32.3 Healthy -0.1
Kalawao County, HI 32.4 Healthy +0.1
Copper River Census Area, AK 32.4 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Scotland 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 Scotland 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Scotland County, Missouri?

    Scotland County has a County Distress Index score of 32.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,632nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 106th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Scotland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Scotland County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 43.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Scotland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Scotland County (32.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Clark County, MO (53.1); Adair County, MO (48.5); Van Buren County, IA (39.8).

  • 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 Healthy 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). Scotland County's score of 32.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Scotland 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 Scotland County?

    Scotland County, Missouri has a population of approximately 4,676 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.