Appanoose County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.1 | 12,119 people · 6th most distressed in Iowa
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Appanoose County, IA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.1 — 1515th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Iowa, it ranks 6th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Appanoose County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 73.7 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 73.7
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 68
Income vs. State Median 92
Child Poverty Rate 67
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 80
Housing Cost Burden 68.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 53
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 82
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 63
Homeownership Rate 74
Legal Distress 62.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 62
Economic Vitality 44.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 41
Business Formation Rate 54
House Price Change (YoY) 58
Consumer Credit Distress 36.3
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 56
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 69
Subprime Credit Population 55

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Appanoose County
Appanoose County, IA 51.1 Elevated —
Wapello County, IA 64.5 Elevated +13.4
Lucas County, IA 46.0 Normal -5.2
Monroe County, IA 40.6 Normal -10.5
Putnam County, MO 39.8 Normal -11.3
Schuyler County, MO 37.0 Normal -14.1
Wayne County, IA 32.5 Healthy -18.6
Davis County, IA 22.3 Healthy -28.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Appanoose County
Fayette County, TN 51.1 Elevated 0.0
Jackson County, IN 51.1 Elevated -0.0
Washington County, ME 51.1 Elevated +0.0
Cherokee County, KS 51.0 Elevated -0.1
Montgomery County, NC 51.0 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Appanoose 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 Appanoose County, Iowa?

    Appanoose County has a County Distress Index score of 51.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,515th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Appanoose County?

    The primary driver of distress in Appanoose County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 73.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Appanoose County compare to neighboring counties?

    Appanoose County (51.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Wapello County, IA (64.5); Lucas County, IA (46.0); Monroe County, IA (40.6).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Appanoose County's score of 51.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Appanoose 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 Appanoose County?

    Appanoose County, Iowa has a population of approximately 12,119 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.