Franklin County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.3 | 106,404 people · 97th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Franklin County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.3 — 2458th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Missouri, it ranks 97th of 115 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Franklin County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 50.2 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 50.2
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 56
Housing Cost Burden 45.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 49
Homeownership Rate 39
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47
Debt & Delinquency 41.2
Debt in Collections 48
Medical Debt 62
Student Loan Delinquency 2
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 36
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Community Vulnerability 39.3
Uninsured Rate 46
Disability Rate 32
Income & Poverty 15.0
Poverty Rate 19
Income vs. State Median 13
Child Poverty Rate 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Franklin County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Franklin County
Franklin County, MO 38.3 Normal —
Washington County, MO 69.2 Serious +30.9
Crawford County, MO 59.0 Elevated +20.8
Gasconade County, MO 40.1 Normal +1.8
Warren County, MO 38.0 Normal -0.3
Jefferson County, MO 35.7 Normal -2.6
St. Louis County, MO 33.0 Healthy -5.3
St. Charles County, MO 22.0 Healthy -16.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Franklin County
Ontario County, NY 38.3 Normal -0.0
Floyd County, IN 38.3 Normal +0.1
Stearns County, MN 38.2 Normal -0.1
Moore County, NC 38.2 Normal -0.1
Wayne County, OH 38.2 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County, Missouri?

    Franklin County has a County Distress Index score of 38.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,458th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 97th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 50.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Franklin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin County (38.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Washington County, MO (69.2); Crawford County, MO (59.0); Gasconade County, MO (40.1).

  • 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 Franklin County?

    Franklin County, Missouri has a population of approximately 106,404 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.