St. Francois County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.6 | 67,058 people · 11th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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St. Francois County, MO shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.6 — 518th 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 11th of 115 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Francois County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 79.7 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 79.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Consumer Credit Distress 76.3
Debt in Collections 77
Medical Debt 88
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Uninsured Rate 76
Subprime Credit Population 78
Structural Poverty 63.7
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 63
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 40
Disability Rate 87
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Housing Cost Burden 57.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 74
Economic Vitality 43.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 49
Rent-to-Income Ratio 34
Business Formation Rate 42
House Price Change (YoY) 50

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Francois County
St. Francois County, MO 67.6 Serious —
Washington County, MO 69.1 Serious +1.5
Madison County, MO 63.0 Elevated -4.6
Iron County, MO 59.8 Elevated -7.8
Perry County, MO 45.3 Normal -22.3
Jefferson County, MO 42.6 Normal -25.0
Ste. Genevieve County, MO 30.6 Healthy -37.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Francois County
Pueblo County, CO 67.7 Serious +0.1
Nash County, NC 67.7 Serious +0.1
Dorchester County, SC 67.4 Serious -0.2
Bartow County, GA 67.4 Serious -0.2
Laurel County, KY 67.3 Serious -0.3

Download Data

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

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

    St. Francois County has a County Distress Index score of 67.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 518th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Francois County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Francois County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 79.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

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

    St. Francois County (67.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Washington County, MO (69.1); Madison County, MO (63.0); Iron County, MO (59.8).

  • 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). St. Francois County's score of 67.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    St. Francois 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. Francois County?

    St. Francois County, Missouri has a population of approximately 67,058 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.