Clarke County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.9 | 9,588 people · 19th most distressed in Iowa
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Clarke County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.9 — 2072nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Iowa, it ranks 19th 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. Clarke County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 48.9 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 48.9
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 75
Credit Card Delinquency 11
Uninsured Rate 21
Subprime Credit Population 52
Structural Poverty 46.8
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 63
Child Poverty Rate 37
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 45
Housing Cost Burden 37.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 26
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 14
Homeownership Rate 72
Economic Vitality 34.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 75
House Price Change (YoY) 92
Legal Distress 10.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clarke County
Clarke County, IA 41.9 Normal —
Lucas County, IA 46.0 Normal +4.0
Decatur County, IA 43.3 Normal +1.3
Union County, IA 37.7 Normal -4.2
Ringgold County, IA 34.0 Healthy -7.9
Wayne County, IA 32.5 Healthy -9.4
Warren County, IA 28.7 Healthy -13.3
Madison County, IA 28.5 Healthy -13.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clarke County
Kusilvak Census Area, AK 41.9 Normal 0.0
Mellette County, SD 42.0 Normal +0.1
Doniphan County, KS 42.0 Normal +0.1
Ozark County, MO 42.1 Normal +0.1
Anderson County, KS 41.8 Normal -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Clarke 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 Clarke County, Iowa?

    Clarke County has a County Distress Index score of 41.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,072nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 19th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clarke County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clarke County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 48.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Clarke County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clarke County (41.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Lucas County, IA (46.0); Decatur County, IA (43.3); Union County, IA (37.7).

  • 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). Clarke County's score of 41.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Clarke 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 Clarke County?

    Clarke County, Iowa has a population of approximately 9,588 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.