Howard County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.9 | 10,101 people · 63rd most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Howard County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.9 — 1759th 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 63rd of 115 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Howard County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 56.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 56.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 86
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 65
Homeownership Rate 18
Rent-to-Income Ratio 56
Debt & Delinquency 49.6
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 68
Student Loan Delinquency 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 64
Credit Card Delinquency 33
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 36
Community Vulnerability 48.8
Uninsured Rate 51
Disability Rate 46
Employment & Wages 46.6
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 41
Income & Poverty 37.6
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Howard County
Howard County, MO 47.9 Normal —
Saline County, MO 58.8 Elevated +10.9
Randolph County, MO 54.8 Elevated +6.9
Cooper County, MO 39.1 Normal -8.8
Boone County, MO 38.9 Normal -8.9
Chariton County, MO 33.8 Healthy -14.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Howard County
Lee County, TX 47.8 Normal -0.0
Llano County, TX 47.8 Normal -0.0
Ward County, TX 47.9 Normal +0.0
Crook County, OR 47.9 Normal +0.1
Jackson County, WI 47.7 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Howard 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 Howard 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 Howard County, Missouri?

    Howard County has a County Distress Index score of 47.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,759th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 63rd in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Howard County?

    The primary driver of distress in Howard County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 56.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Howard County compare to neighboring counties?

    Howard County (47.9) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Saline County, MO (58.8); Randolph County, MO (54.8); Cooper County, MO (39.1).

  • 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 Howard County?

    Howard County, Missouri has a population of approximately 10,101 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.