St. Clair County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.3 | 9,752 people · 36th most distressed in Missouri
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St. Clair County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.3 — 1183rd 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 36th of 115 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Clair County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 78.7 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 78.7
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 93
Consumer Credit Distress 68.2
Debt in Collections 65
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 67
Credit Card Delinquency 86
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 37
Economic Vitality 52.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 51
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 33.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 38
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 43
Legal Distress 10.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Clair County
St. Clair County, MO 56.3 Elevated —
Hickory County, MO 66.8 Serious +10.5
Henry County, MO 62.9 Elevated +6.6
Benton County, MO 62.5 Elevated +6.3
Cedar County, MO 58.8 Elevated +2.5
Bates County, MO 58.2 Elevated +1.9
Polk County, MO 53.8 Elevated -2.5
Vernon County, MO 53.1 Elevated -3.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Clair County
Hamilton County, TX 56.2 Elevated -0.1
Childress County, TX 56.1 Elevated -0.2
Motley County, TX 56.1 Elevated -0.2
Cumberland County, KY 56.6 Elevated +0.3
Livingston County, KY 55.8 Elevated -0.4

Download Data

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

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

    St. Clair County has a County Distress Index score of 56.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,183rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Clair County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Clair County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 78.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

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

    St. Clair County (56.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Hickory County, MO (66.8); Henry County, MO (62.9); Benton County, MO (62.5).

  • 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 Elevated 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. Clair County's score of 56.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    St. Clair 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. Clair County?

    St. Clair County, Missouri has a population of approximately 9,752 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.