Adair County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.6 | 7,389 people · 43rd most distressed in Iowa
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Adair County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.6 — 2557th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency rates remain below the national norm. Within Iowa, it ranks 43rd of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Adair County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 37.0 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 37.0
Debt in Collections 33
Medical Debt 36
Auto Loan Delinquency 88
Credit Card Delinquency 25
Uninsured Rate 13
Subprime Credit Population 18
Housing Cost Burden 36.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 24
Homeownership Rate 54
Structural Poverty 31.9
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 19
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 26
Disability Rate 35
Transfer Income Dependency 36
Economic Vitality 28.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 13
Rent-to-Income Ratio 8
Business Formation Rate 70
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Legal Distress 11.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 11

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Adair County
Adair County, IA 33.6 Healthy —
Cass County, IA 46.3 Normal +12.7
Union County, IA 37.7 Normal +4.1
Audubon County, IA 36.6 Normal +3.0
Adams County, IA 33.3 Healthy -0.3
Guthrie County, IA 29.8 Healthy -3.8
Madison County, IA 28.5 Healthy -5.1
Dallas County, IA 24.2 Healthy -9.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Adair County
Prairie County, MT 33.6 Healthy +0.0
Yakutat City and Borough, AK 33.5 Healthy -0.0
Pondera County, MT 33.5 Healthy -0.0
Beaverhead County, MT 33.6 Healthy +0.1
Yuma County, CO 33.7 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

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Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 515-243-3179

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Adair County, Iowa?

    Adair County has a County Distress Index score of 33.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,557th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 43rd in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Adair County?

    The primary driver of distress in Adair County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 37.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Adair County compare to neighboring counties?

    Adair County (33.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Cass County, IA (46.3); Union County, IA (37.7); Audubon County, IA (36.6).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Healthy zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Adair County's score of 33.6 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

  • What data sources power Adair County's CDI score?

    Adair County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Adair County?

    Adair County, Iowa has a population of approximately 7,389 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.