Ripley County, Missouri
County Distress Index score and five-domain breakdown for Ripley County. Population: 10,806 (small).
Data: Census, BLS, Urban Institute, HUD, US Courts | Scores as of 2026-03-17
Ripley County, MO shows significant household financial distress with a score of 77.0 — 30th 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 4th of 115 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.
Five-Domain Breakdown
How Ripley County compares to all U.S. counties across five dimensions of financial distress. Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.
Community Vulnerability
Primary DriverIncome & Poverty
Debt & Delinquency
Housing Cost Burden
Employment & Wages
How Ripley County Compares
Neighboring Counties
| County | Score | Zone | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ripley County, MO | 77.0 | Serious Stress | — |
| Oregon County, MO | 72.5 | Serious Stress | -4.5 |
| Carter County, MO | 71.9 | Serious Stress | -5.1 |
| Butler County, MO | 67.7 | Serious Stress | -9.3 |
| Clay County, AR | 63.7 | Elevated | -13.3 |
| Randolph County, AR | 59.9 | Elevated | -17.1 |
Population Peers
Counties with similar population (small) and closest distress scores nationally.
| County | Score | Zone | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bee County, TX | 76.9 | Serious Stress | -0.1 |
| Scotland County, NC | 76.8 | Serious Stress | -0.1 |
| Yazoo County, MS | 77.1 | Serious Stress | +0.2 |
| McIntosh County, OK | 76.8 | Serious Stress | -0.2 |
| Bertie County, NC | 77.1 | Serious Stress | +0.2 |
Download Data
Export all distress indicators for Ripley County as a CSV file.
Resources
Ripley County scores in the Serious Stress zone. If you or someone you know is experiencing financial hardship, free help is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the distress score for Ripley County, Missouri?
Ripley County has a County Distress Index score of 77.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious Stress zone. It ranks 30th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Missouri out of 115 counties.
What drives financial distress in Ripley County?
The primary driver of distress in Ripley County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 93.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.
How does Ripley County compare to neighboring counties?
Ripley County (77.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Oregon County, MO (72.5); Carter County, MO (71.9); Butler County, MO (67.7).
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 Ripley County?
Ripley County, Missouri has a population of approximately 10,806 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.