Cedar County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 28.9 | 18,302 people · 58th most distressed in Iowa
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Cedar County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 28.9 — 2804th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Iowa, it ranks 58th of 99 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cedar County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 64.8 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 64.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 87
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 16
Legal Distress 35.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35
Economic Vitality 33.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 36
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 72
House Price Change (YoY) 34
Structural Poverty 17.3
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 7
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 8
Disability Rate 16
Transfer Income Dependency 15
Consumer Credit Distress 13.6
Debt in Collections 16
Medical Debt 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 10
Uninsured Rate 6
Subprime Credit Population 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cedar County
Cedar County, IA 28.9 Healthy —
Clinton County, IA 49.5 Normal +20.6
Scott County, IA 44.2 Normal +15.2
Muscatine County, IA 41.4 Normal +12.5
Linn County, IA 38.1 Normal +9.2
Johnson County, IA 36.1 Normal +7.2
Jones County, IA 26.1 Healthy -2.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cedar County
Nicollet County, MN 28.9 Healthy -0.0
San Juan County, WA 29.0 Healthy +0.0
Hancock County, IL 28.9 Healthy -0.1
Jefferson County, KS 29.1 Healthy +0.1
Juab County, UT 29.1 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cedar County

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Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 515-243-3179

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Iowa Legal Aid 1-800-532-1275

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Cedar County has a County Distress Index score of 28.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,804th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cedar County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cedar County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 64.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cedar County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cedar County (28.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Clinton County, IA (49.5); Scott County, IA (44.2); Muscatine County, IA (41.4).

  • 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). Cedar County's score of 28.9 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Cedar 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 Cedar County?

    Cedar County, Iowa has a population of approximately 18,302 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.