Cass County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.3 | 13,130 people · 11th most distressed in Iowa
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Cass County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.3 — 1824th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Iowa, it ranks 11th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cass County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.7 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 84
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 61
Structural Poverty 53.1
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 60
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 38
Transfer Income Dependency 46
Economic Vitality 42.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 24
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 79
Consumer Credit Distress 34.1
Debt in Collections 21
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Uninsured Rate 10
Subprime Credit Population 24
Legal Distress 23.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cass County
Cass County, IA 46.3 Normal —
Pottawattamie County, IA 51.5 Elevated +5.2
Montgomery County, IA 51.0 Elevated +4.7
Audubon County, IA 36.6 Normal -9.7
Adair County, IA 33.6 Healthy -12.7
Adams County, IA 33.3 Healthy -13.0
Shelby County, IA 31.0 Healthy -15.3
Guthrie County, IA 29.8 Healthy -16.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cass County
Missaukee County, MI 46.3 Normal -0.0
Red Willow County, NE 46.3 Normal +0.0
Bandera County, TX 46.3 Normal -0.0
Parke County, IN 46.4 Normal +0.1
Kent County, MD 46.4 Normal +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Cass 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 Cass County, Iowa?

    Cass County has a County Distress Index score of 46.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,824th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cass County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cass County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cass County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cass County (46.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Pottawattamie County, IA (51.5); Montgomery County, IA (51.0); 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 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). Cass County's score of 46.3 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Cass 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 Cass County?

    Cass County, Iowa has a population of approximately 13,130 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.