Shannon County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.7 | 7,238 people · 51st most distressed in Missouri
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Shannon County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.7 — 1595th 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 51st of 115 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Shannon County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 91.0 — worse than roughly 91% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 91.0
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 92
Child Poverty Rate 94
Disability Rate 90
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Economic Vitality 64.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 56
Consumer Credit Distress 56.5
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 37
Uninsured Rate 73
Subprime Credit Population 61
Legal Distress 18.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19
Housing Cost Burden 14.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 8
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 46
Homeownership Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Shannon County
Shannon County, MO 49.7 Normal —
Oregon County, MO 70.5 Serious +20.8
Carter County, MO 67.1 Serious +17.4
Howell County, MO 61.2 Elevated +11.5
Texas County, MO 61.0 Elevated +11.4
Dent County, MO 55.4 Elevated +5.7
Reynolds County, MO 49.0 Normal -0.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Shannon County
Oldham County, TX 49.6 Normal -0.1
Lander County, NV 49.5 Normal -0.1
Coal County, OK 50.0 Elevated +0.4
Eureka County, NV 50.1 Elevated +0.5
Sioux County, ND 50.1 Elevated +0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Shannon 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 Shannon 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 Shannon County, Missouri?

    Shannon County has a County Distress Index score of 49.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,595th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 51st in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Shannon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Shannon County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 91.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Shannon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Shannon County (49.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Oregon County, MO (70.5); Carter County, MO (67.1); Howell County, MO (61.2).

  • 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 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). Shannon County's score of 49.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Shannon 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 Shannon County?

    Shannon County, Missouri has a population of approximately 7,238 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.