Clay County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.1 | 259,772 people · 98th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Clay County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.1 — 2469th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Missouri, it ranks 98th of 115 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Clay County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 61.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 61.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 50
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 30
Debt & Delinquency 47.0
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 46
Student Loan Delinquency 33
Auto Loan Delinquency 44
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 68
Employment & Wages 44.0
Unemployment Rate 45
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 29
Community Vulnerability 32.1
Uninsured Rate 43
Disability Rate 21
Income & Poverty 5.8
Poverty Rate 6
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Clay County
Clay County, MO 38.1 Normal —
Wyandotte County, KS 69.3 Serious +31.1
Jackson County, MO 52.9 Elevated +14.8
Ray County, MO 45.6 Normal +7.4
Clinton County, MO 42.6 Normal +4.5
Platte County, MO 29.8 Healthy -8.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Clay County
Chesterfield County, VA 38.1 Normal -0.0
Hillsborough County, NH 38.1 Normal -0.0
Clackamas County, OR 38.3 Normal +0.2
Honolulu County, HI 37.9 Normal -0.3
York County, PA 38.4 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clay 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 Clay 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 Clay County, Missouri?

    Clay County has a County Distress Index score of 38.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,469th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 98th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clay County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clay County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 61.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Clay County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clay County (38.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Wyandotte County, KS (69.3); Jackson County, MO (52.9); Ray County, MO (45.6).

  • 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 Clay County?

    Clay County, Missouri has a population of approximately 259,772 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.