Adams County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.3 | 3,544 people · 44th most distressed in Iowa
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Adams County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.3 — 2569th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where household incomes are relatively strong and poverty rates are low. Within Iowa, it ranks 44th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Adams County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 43.7 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 43.7
Unemployment Rate 5
Poverty Rate 34
Income vs. State Median 69
Child Poverty Rate 37
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 53
Legal Distress 36.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 37
Consumer Credit Distress 36.3
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 48
Auto Loan Delinquency 19
Credit Card Delinquency 71
Uninsured Rate 9
Subprime Credit Population 34
Economic Vitality 34.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 27
Rent-to-Income Ratio 17
Business Formation Rate 86
House Price Change (YoY) 23
Housing Cost Burden 18.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 37

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Adams County
Adams County, IA 33.3 Healthy —
Montgomery County, IA 51.0 Elevated +17.7
Cass County, IA 46.3 Normal +13.0
Page County, IA 42.0 Normal +8.7
Union County, IA 37.7 Normal +4.5
Ringgold County, IA 34.0 Healthy +0.8
Adair County, IA 33.6 Healthy +0.3
Taylor County, IA 29.6 Healthy -3.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Adams County
Smith County, KS 33.3 Healthy +0.0
Hooker County, NE 33.4 Healthy +0.1
Stafford County, KS 33.1 Healthy -0.1
Pope County, IL 33.4 Healthy +0.1
Adams County, ID 33.1 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Adams County has a County Distress Index score of 33.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,569th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Adams County?

    The primary driver of distress in Adams County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 43.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Adams County compare to neighboring counties?

    Adams County (33.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Montgomery County, IA (51.0); Cass County, IA (46.3); Page County, IA (42.0).

  • 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). Adams County's score of 33.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Adams 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 Adams County?

    Adams County, Iowa has a population of approximately 3,544 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.