#2,752 Missouri · 2026

Scotland County, Missouri

Least distressed fifth 2,752nd of 3,144 counties nationally · 4,676 residents How this is calculated →
The headline number
34% Scotland residents
vs.
8% U.S. median

4× the national median for uninsured rate.

Census ACS 5-yr (2023)

Main Findings

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Scotland County, Missouri ranks 2,752nd most distressed in the United States on the County Distress Index. Scotland sits near the national median across major distress indicators.

Key Findings
  • 2,752nd of 3,144 counties on the County Distress Index — Least distressed fifth, 108th in Missouri.
  • 34% of residents lack health insurance (U.S. median 8%). Uninsured rate at the 95th percentile nationally.
  • Auto loan delinquency at 6% — national median 5%, ranked at the 59th percentile.
  • Delinquency domain score 25 — weight 20.0% of the CDI composite.
  • Labor domain score 18 — weight 20.0% of the CDI composite.
County Distress Index cluster map. Scotland County, Missouri and its neighbors colored by distress fifth.
Scotland and its 6 geographic neighbors, graded by County Distress Index score. Scotland County ranks 2,752nd of 3,144. American Default Research
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"Scotland County ranks in the least distressed fifth of U.S. counties. The CDI reading is a county comparison, separate from national ADI bands."

— Ross Kilburn, Founder, American Default Research
Analyst quote — for feature use 25 words

"The CDI places this county in the least distressed fifth nationally. The rank is a comparative geography measure across counties, not a national ADI band."

— Ross Kilburn, Founder, American Default Research

The Indicators Behind Scotland County's CDI Score

Every number traces to a public source. Scotland County's value shown alongside MO's median and the U.S. median. Full CSV available for download.

How to read the table. A domain score is a 0–100 composite of the indicators in that domain, where 50 = U.S. county median and higher = more distressed. Percentile is Scotland County's national rank among all 3,144 U.S. counties for that indicator, always oriented so higher = more distressed.
Indicator Scotland MO median U.S. median Pctile Source
Delinquency — domain score 25 · Rank 2,416 of 3,144
Auto loan delinquency Share of auto loan accounts 60+ days past due 6% 6% 5% 59th Urban Institute (2024)
Credit card delinquency Share of credit card accounts 60+ days past due 2% 5% 5% 6th Urban Institute (2024)
Subprime credit share Share of residents with a credit score below 660 15% 24% 23% 11th Urban Institute (2024)
Default & Legal — domain score 15 · Rank 2,917 of 3,144
Debt in collections Share of residents with a credit file who have debt in collections 16% 24% 23% 24th Urban Institute (2024)
Bankruptcy filing rate Personal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents 21 118 126 5th US Courts F-5A (2025)
Debt Burden (housing basis) — domain score 33 · Rank 2,308 of 3,144
Rent-to-income ratio Fair Market Rent (2BR) as share of median household income 19% 20% 21% 25th HUD FMR × Census ACS (2024)
Severe rent burden (50%+) Share of renter households paying 50%+ of income on rent 16% 16% 18% 41st Census ACS 5-yr (2023)
Labor — domain score 18 · Rank 2,589 of 3,144
Unemployment Share of labor force unemployed 3% 3% 4% 18th BLS LAUS (Dec 2025)
Safety Net & Buffer — domain score 45 · Rank 1,781 of 3,144
Child poverty rate Share of children under 18 below the federal poverty line 16% 19% 18% 40th Census SAIPE (2023)
Disability rate Share of residents reporting a disability 12% 17% 16% 13th Census ACS 5-yr (2023)
Poverty rate Share of population below the federal poverty line 13% 14% 14% 47th Census SAIPE (2023)
Transfer-income dependency Share of personal income from government transfers 23% 30% 27% 34th BEA Regional Personal Income (2023)
Uninsured rate Share of residents without health insurance coverage 34% 11% 8% 95th Census ACS 5-yr (2023)
Data compiled April 2026 from Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax 2024 panel), U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-yr 2023, SAIPE 2023, Business Formation Statistics 2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS Dec 2025, QCEW 2024), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings 2025), and HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2024).

Five-Domain Breakdown

The CDI is an equal-weight composite of five family-v1 distress domains. Each domain contributes 20% of the county score.

Safety Net & Buffer Primary driver 45
Weight 20% · Rank 1,781 of 3,144
Debt Burden (housing basis) 33
Weight 20% · Rank 2,308 of 3,144
Delinquency 25
Weight 20% · Rank 2,416 of 3,144
Labor 18
Weight 20% · Rank 2,589 of 3,144
Default & Legal 15
Weight 20% · Rank 2,917 of 3,144

Methodology

The County Distress Index is a 0–100 composite score of household financial distress, computed for all 3,144 U.S. counties. Higher scores indicate greater distress. The index is built from five equal-weighted domains: Delinquency, Default & Legal, Debt Burden, Labor, and Safety Net & Buffer. Each domain is the mean of distress-oriented indicator percentiles; the CDI score is the equal-weight mean of those domain scores.

Data sources include the Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax consumer credit panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, Business Formation Statistics), Bureau of Labor Statistics (Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Data vintages range from 2023 to 2025 depending on source; full indicator-level vintage detail is in the methodology document.

For Press & Research

Everything you need to cite Scotland County data — in under 60 seconds.

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Press contact: Ross Kilburn · press@americandefault.org · (307) 264-2992 · same-day response, 9am–6pm ET
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MEMPHIS, Mo. — Scotland County ranks 2,752nd among the nation's most financially distressed counties, according to the County Distress Index released this month by American Default Research.

The composite score of 27 out of 100 places Scotland in the least distressed fifth. Among 3,144 U.S. counties scored, 2,751 counties rank more distressed. Within Missouri, Scotland ranks 108th of 115 counties.

The index, which draws on 16 source indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Urban Institute and federal court filings, finds Scotland sitting near the national median across major distress indicators, with no single domain emerging as a clear driver.

"Scotland County ranks in the least distressed fifth of U.S. counties. The CDI reading is a county comparison, separate from national ADI bands," said Ross Kilburn, founder of American Default Research.

Full methodology and county-by-county data are available at americandefault.org/methodology/cdi.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Scotland County's CDI score, and what does it mean?

Scotland County scores 27 out of 100 on the County Distress Index, placing it in the least distressed fifth. It ranks 2,752nd of 3,144 U.S. counties and 108th of 115 Missouri counties. Higher county scores indicate more distress.

What drives Scotland County's distress score?

The highest-scoring domain is Safety Net & Buffer, at a domain score of 45. Uninsured rate ranks at the 95th percentile nationally.

How does Scotland County compare to its neighbors?

Scotland County's neighbors span three CDI distress fifths. Highest-distress neighbor: Clark County (49.95, Middle fifth). Lowest: Davis County, IA (17.53, Least distressed fifth).

How is the County Distress Index calculated?

The CDI is a 0–100 composite of 16 source indicators across five equal-weighted domains: Delinquency, Default & Legal, Debt Burden, Labor, and Safety Net & Buffer. Data comes from Urban Institute, Census Bureau, BLS, U.S. Courts, HUD, and related public sources. Full methodology →
Ross Kilburn
Written by

Ross Kilburn, Founder

Founder · American Default Research · Seattle, Washington

Two decades working directly with financially distressed American households — from property preservation in 2003, to negotiating over 1,000 short sales during the Great Recession, to foreclosure defense marketing today. Author, The Ark Law Group Complete Guide to Short Sales (Auroch Press, 2013). Founded American Default Research in 2026.

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