St. Charles County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.1 | 416,659 people · 110th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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St. Charles County, MO ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.1 — 2749th 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 110th of 115 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Charles County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 71.4 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 71.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 71
Housing Cost Burden 43.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 16
Economic Vitality 28.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Rent-to-Income Ratio 1
Business Formation Rate 25
House Price Change (YoY) 35
Consumer Credit Distress 24.7
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 53
Auto Loan Delinquency 27
Credit Card Delinquency 18
Uninsured Rate 11
Subprime Credit Population 19
Structural Poverty 5.6
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 1
Income vs. State Median 1
Child Poverty Rate 1
Disability Rate 10
Transfer Income Dependency 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Charles County
St. Charles County, MO 30.1 Healthy —
St. Louis County, MO 49.0 Normal +18.8
Warren County, MO 47.4 Normal +17.2
Lincoln County, MO 47.1 Normal +17.0
Madison County, IL 47.0 Normal +16.8
Franklin County, MO 44.2 Normal +14.1
Jersey County, IL 36.9 Normal +6.8
Calhoun County, IL 20.5 Healthy -9.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Charles County
Forsyth County, GA 29.8 Healthy -0.4
San Mateo County, CA 29.7 Healthy -0.4
Rockingham County, NH 30.7 Healthy +0.5
DuPage County, IL 31.5 Healthy +1.4
Washington County, MN 31.7 Healthy +1.6

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for St. Charles County as a CSV file.

Find Help in St. Charles 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 St. Charles 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 St. Charles County, Missouri?

    St. Charles County has a County Distress Index score of 30.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,749th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 110th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Charles County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Charles County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 71.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does St. Charles County compare to neighboring counties?

    St. Charles County (30.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: St. Louis County, MO (49.0); Warren County, MO (47.4); Lincoln County, MO (47.1).

  • 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). St. Charles County's score of 30.1 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

  • What data sources power St. Charles County's CDI score?

    St. Charles 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 St. Charles County?

    St. Charles County, Missouri has a population of approximately 416,659 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.