Hancock County, Mississippi

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.6 | 46,159 people · 75th most distressed in Mississippi
American Default Research

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Hancock County, MS falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.6 — 1621st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within Mississippi, it ranks 75th of 82 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hancock County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 66.9 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 66.9
Uninsured Rate 60
Disability Rate 74
Debt & Delinquency 66.9
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 49
Student Loan Delinquency 92
Auto Loan Delinquency 67
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 68
Housing Cost Burden 50.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 46
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 25
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Income & Poverty 47.0
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 14
Child Poverty Rate 62
Employment & Wages 16.4
Unemployment Rate 13
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 21
Business Formation Rate 15

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Hancock County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hancock County
Hancock County, MS 49.6 Normal —
St. Bernard Parish, LA 68.3 Serious +18.7
Harrison County, MS 64.5 Elevated +14.9
Pearl River County, MS 60.5 Elevated +11.0
Stone County, MS 57.9 Elevated +8.3
St. Tammany Parish, LA 48.5 Normal -1.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hancock County
Yancey County, NC 49.6 Normal -0.0
Lawrence County, MO 49.5 Normal -0.1
Jefferson Davis Parish, LA 49.6 Normal +0.1
Ashland County, WI 49.5 Normal -0.1
Johnson County, IL 49.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hancock County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Hancock County.

HANCOCK HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER
Bay Saint Louis
228-463-8887 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

See all counselors in Mississippi →

Find an Attorney

Mississippi Bar Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Mississippi Bar Lawyer Referral 601-948-4471

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Hancock County residents at no cost.

Mississippi Center for Legal Services 1-800-498-1804
North Mississippi Rural Legal Services 1-800-898-8731

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 Hancock County, Mississippi?

    Hancock County has a County Distress Index score of 49.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,621st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 75th in Mississippi out of 82 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hancock County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hancock County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 66.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Hancock County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hancock County (49.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: St. Bernard Parish, LA (68.3); Harrison County, MS (64.5); Pearl River County, MS (60.5).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Hancock County?

    Hancock County, Mississippi has a population of approximately 46,159 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.