Scott County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.0 | 37,889 people · 13th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Scott County, MO shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.0 — 547th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Missouri, it ranks 13th of 115 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Scott County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 89.0 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 89.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 89
Consumer Credit Distress 75.0
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 73
Credit Card Delinquency 59
Uninsured Rate 76
Subprime Credit Population 82
Housing Cost Burden 64.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 72
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 49
Homeownership Rate 75
Structural Poverty 56.0
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 67
Transfer Income Dependency 75
Economic Vitality 31.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Rent-to-Income Ratio 24
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 68

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Scott County, MO 67.0 Serious —
Mississippi County, MO 82.0 Crisis +14.9
New Madrid County, MO 70.1 Serious +3.1
Stoddard County, MO 58.2 Elevated -8.8
Alexander County, IL 57.6 Elevated -9.4
Cape Girardeau County, MO 49.7 Normal -17.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Caddo County, OK 67.0 Serious 0.0
Falls County, TX 67.0 Serious -0.0
Cass County, TX 67.0 Serious +0.0
Brantley County, GA 67.0 Serious -0.1
Barren County, KY 67.1 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Scott 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 Scott 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 Scott County, Missouri?

    Scott County has a County Distress Index score of 67.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 547th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Scott County?

    The primary driver of distress in Scott County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 89.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Scott County compare to neighboring counties?

    Scott County (67.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Mississippi County, MO (82.0); New Madrid County, MO (70.1); Stoddard County, MO (58.2).

  • 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 Serious 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). Scott County's score of 67.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Scott 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 Scott County?

    Scott County, Missouri has a population of approximately 37,889 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.