Wright County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 53.9 | 19,403 people · 43rd most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Wright County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 53.9 — 1346th 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 43rd of 115 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wright County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 80.0 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 80.0
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 76
Income vs. State Median 85
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 89
Economic Vitality 57.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 30
House Price Change (YoY) 69
Consumer Credit Distress 57.4
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 53
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 51
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 60
Legal Distress 53.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 53
Housing Cost Burden 28.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wright County
Wright County, MO 53.9 Elevated —
Texas County, MO 61.0 Elevated +7.2
Laclede County, MO 55.5 Elevated +1.6
Douglas County, MO 52.8 Elevated -1.0
Webster County, MO 44.9 Normal -9.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wright County
Yell County, AR 53.9 Elevated +0.0
Knox County, IN 53.8 Elevated -0.0
Polk County, MO 53.8 Elevated -0.1
Union County, KY 53.8 Elevated -0.1
Dade County, GA 53.8 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wright 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 Wright 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 Wright County, Missouri?

    Wright County has a County Distress Index score of 53.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,346th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 43rd in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wright County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wright County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 80.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Wright County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wright County (53.9) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Texas County, MO (61.0); Laclede County, MO (55.5); Douglas County, MO (52.8).

  • 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 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). Wright County's score of 53.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Wright 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 Wright County?

    Wright County, Missouri has a population of approximately 19,403 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.