Macon County, Missouri

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.4 | 15,161 people · 56th most distressed in Missouri
American Default Research

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Macon County, MO registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.4 — 1560th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within Missouri, it ranks 56th of 115 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Macon County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 68.7 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 68.7
Uninsured Rate 80
Disability Rate 58
Employment & Wages 57.8
Unemployment Rate 55
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 55
Business Formation Rate 63
Housing Cost Burden 42.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 63
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 26
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 55
Homeownership Rate 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 29
Debt & Delinquency 41.8
Debt in Collections 47
Medical Debt 57
Student Loan Delinquency 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 25
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18
Income & Poverty 41.1
Poverty Rate 41
Income vs. State Median 39
Child Poverty Rate 43

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Macon County
Macon County, MO 50.4 Elevated —
Randolph County, MO 54.8 Elevated +4.3
Knox County, MO 48.8 Normal -1.6
Adair County, MO 46.6 Normal -3.8
Monroe County, MO 46.0 Normal -4.4
Linn County, MO 45.4 Normal -5.0
Shelby County, MO 39.6 Normal -10.9
Chariton County, MO 33.8 Healthy -16.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Macon County
Mason County, WV 50.4 Elevated +0.0
Orleans County, VT 50.4 Elevated -0.0
Schoharie County, NY 50.5 Elevated +0.0
Noble County, OH 50.5 Elevated +0.0
Henry County, AL 50.5 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Macon 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 Macon 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 Macon County, Missouri?

    Macon County has a County Distress Index score of 50.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,560th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Missouri out of 115 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Macon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Macon County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 68.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Macon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Macon County (50.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Randolph County, MO (54.8); Knox County, MO (48.8); Adair County, MO (46.6).

  • 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 Macon County?

    Macon County, Missouri has a population of approximately 15,161 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.