St. Louis County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.0 | 987,059 people · 55th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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St. Louis County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.0 — 1648th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Missouri, it ranks 55th of 115 counties. Among its 7 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. Louis County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.5 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 68
Homeownership Rate 74
Legal Distress 73.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Consumer Credit Distress 48.5
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 55
Auto Loan Delinquency 71
Credit Card Delinquency 37
Uninsured Rate 27
Subprime Credit Population 41
Structural Poverty 14.3
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 18
Income vs. State Median 5
Child Poverty Rate 22
Disability Rate 15
Transfer Income Dependency 4
Economic Vitality 14.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 6
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 10
House Price Change (YoY) 50

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Louis County
St. Louis County, MO 49.0 Normal —
St. Louis city, MO 73.9 Serious +25.0
St. Clair County, IL 61.5 Elevated +12.5
Madison County, IL 47.0 Normal -2.0
Franklin County, MO 44.2 Normal -4.7
Jefferson County, MO 42.6 Normal -6.4
St. Charles County, MO 30.1 Healthy -18.8
Monroe County, IL 20.1 Healthy -28.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Louis County
Worcester County, MA 48.9 Normal -0.1
Douglas County, NE 48.7 Normal -0.2
Burlington County, NJ 49.4 Normal +0.4
Santa Barbara County, CA 48.5 Normal -0.4
Prince William County, VA 48.5 Normal -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in St. Louis County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near St. Louis County.

BEYOND HOUSING
Saint Louis
314-533-0600 Website
Financial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY, INC. (CAASTLC)
Saint Louis
314-863-0015 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingHomeless/Displacement
HOUSING OPTIONS PROVIDED FOR THE ELDERLY (H.O.P.E)
University City
844-432-6467 Website
Reverse Mortgage
HOUSING OPTIONS PROVIDED FOR THE ELDERLY(HOPE)
University City
844-432-6467 Website
Foreclosure PreventionReverse Mortgage
THE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP, INC.
Saint Louis
314-631-9905 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Missouri →

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. Louis 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Missouri →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for St. Louis County, Missouri?

    St. Louis County has a County Distress Index score of 49.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,648th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 55th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Louis County?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Louis County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

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

    St. Louis County (49.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: St. Louis city, MO (73.9); St. Clair County, IL (61.5); Madison County, IL (47.0).

  • 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). St. Louis County's score of 49.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    St. Louis 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. Louis County?

    St. Louis County, Missouri has a population of approximately 987,059 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.