Audubon County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.6 | 5,534 people · 34th most distressed in Iowa
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Audubon County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.6 — 2385th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Iowa, it ranks 34th of 99 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Audubon County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 91.7 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 91.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Housing Cost Burden 68.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 58
Homeownership Rate 39
Structural Poverty 33.1
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 22
Income vs. State Median 64
Child Poverty Rate 28
Disability Rate 20
Transfer Income Dependency 34
Economic Vitality 24.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 71
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Consumer Credit Distress 16.4
Debt in Collections 17
Medical Debt 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 19
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Audubon County
Audubon County, IA 36.6 Normal —
Cass County, IA 46.3 Normal +9.7
Crawford County, IA 38.0 Normal +1.4
Adair County, IA 33.6 Healthy -3.0
Shelby County, IA 31.0 Healthy -5.6
Guthrie County, IA 29.8 Healthy -6.8
Carroll County, IA 23.3 Healthy -13.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Audubon County
Lemhi County, ID 36.6 Normal +0.0
Union County, IN 36.6 Normal +0.0
Grant County, KS 36.5 Normal -0.1
Webster County, NE 36.5 Normal -0.1
Garfield County, WA 36.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

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Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 515-243-3179

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Legal aid organizations serving Audubon County residents at no cost.

Iowa Legal Aid 1-800-532-1275

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Audubon County has a County Distress Index score of 36.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,385th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Audubon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Audubon County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 91.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Audubon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Audubon County (36.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Cass County, IA (46.3); Crawford County, IA (38.0); Adair County, IA (33.6).

  • 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 Normal 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). Audubon County's score of 36.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Audubon 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 Audubon County?

    Audubon County, Iowa has a population of approximately 5,534 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.