Stone County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.5 | 32,658 people · 92nd most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Stone County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.5 — 2222nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Missouri, it ranks 92nd of 115 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Stone County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 54.6 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 54.6
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 40
Income vs. State Median 27
Child Poverty Rate 61
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 68
Economic Vitality 46.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 73
Rent-to-Income Ratio 17
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 36
Consumer Credit Distress 39.5
Debt in Collections 37
Medical Debt 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 48
Uninsured Rate 61
Subprime Credit Population 29
Housing Cost Burden 33.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 40
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 37
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 37
Homeownership Rate 6
Legal Distress 23.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Stone County
Stone County, MO 39.5 Normal —
Taney County, MO 63.4 Elevated +23.9
Carroll County, AR 53.0 Elevated +13.5
Barry County, MO 49.3 Normal +9.8
Lawrence County, MO 47.1 Normal +7.6
Christian County, MO 38.2 Normal -1.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Stone County
Montgomery County, IL 39.5 Normal +0.0
Shelby County, KY 39.5 Normal +0.0
Jerome County, ID 39.6 Normal +0.1
Freeborn County, MN 39.4 Normal -0.1
Clinton County, MO 39.4 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Stone 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 Stone 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 Stone County, Missouri?

    Stone County has a County Distress Index score of 39.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,222nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 92nd in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Stone County?

    The primary driver of distress in Stone County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 54.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Stone County compare to neighboring counties?

    Stone County (39.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Taney County, MO (63.4); Carroll County, AR (53.0); Barry County, MO (49.3).

  • 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). Stone County's score of 39.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Stone 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 Stone County?

    Stone County, Missouri has a population of approximately 32,658 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.