Johnson County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Normal · 43.8 | 54,962 people · 80th most distressed in Missouri
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Johnson County, MO falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 43.8 — 2097th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Missouri, it ranks 80th 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. Johnson County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 49.0 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 49.0
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 45
Student Loan Delinquency 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 66
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24
Housing Cost Burden 48.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 87
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Employment & Wages 45.9
Unemployment Rate 30
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 57
Community Vulnerability 45.3
Uninsured Rate 61
Disability Rate 29
Income & Poverty 30.5
Poverty Rate 50
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Johnson County
Johnson County, MO 43.8 Normal —
Henry County, MO 59.8 Elevated +16.0
Pettis County, MO 54.2 Elevated +10.4
Jackson County, MO 52.9 Elevated +9.1
Lafayette County, MO 50.1 Elevated +6.4
Cass County, MO 37.9 Normal -5.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Johnson County
Montgomery County, VA 43.8 Normal -0.0
Rensselaer County, NY 43.8 Normal -0.0
Newton County, MO 43.8 Normal +0.1
Rock County, WI 43.7 Normal -0.1
Clark County, IN 43.9 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson County, Missouri?

    Johnson County has a County Distress Index score of 43.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,097th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 80th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Johnson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Johnson County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 49.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Johnson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Johnson County (43.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Henry County, MO (59.8); Pettis County, MO (54.2); Jackson County, MO (52.9).

  • 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 Johnson County?

    Johnson County, Missouri has a population of approximately 54,962 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.