Clinton County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.5 | 46,158 people · 9th most distressed in Iowa
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Clinton County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.5 — 1602nd 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 9th 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. Clinton County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 65.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 65.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 66
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 57
Legal Distress 58.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Structural Poverty 50.5
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 57
Child Poverty Rate 51
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 52
Consumer Credit Distress 44.5
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 32
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Uninsured Rate 18
Subprime Credit Population 45
Economic Vitality 28.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 18
Rent-to-Income Ratio 12
Business Formation Rate 76
House Price Change (YoY) 33

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clinton County
Clinton County, IA 49.5 Normal —
Rock Island County, IL 52.0 Elevated +2.5
Whiteside County, IL 44.4 Normal -5.1
Scott County, IA 44.2 Normal -5.4
Carroll County, IL 31.2 Healthy -18.3
Cedar County, IA 28.9 Healthy -20.6
Jackson County, IA 26.7 Healthy -22.8
Jones County, IA 26.1 Healthy -23.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clinton County
Williams County, OH 49.5 Normal 0.0
Seward County, KS 49.5 Normal -0.0
Hardy County, WV 49.5 Normal -0.0
Coos County, NH 49.4 Normal -0.1
Barbour County, WV 49.6 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clinton County

Find an Attorney

Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 515-243-3179

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Clinton County residents at no cost.

Iowa Legal Aid 1-800-532-1275

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Iowa →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Clinton County has a County Distress Index score of 49.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,602nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clinton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clinton County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 65.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Clinton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clinton County (49.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Rock Island County, IL (52.0); Whiteside County, IL (44.4); Scott County, IA (44.2).

  • 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). Clinton County's score of 49.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Clinton 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 Clinton County?

    Clinton County, Iowa has a population of approximately 46,158 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.