Crawford County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.0 | 16,013 people · 29th most distressed in Iowa
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Crawford County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.0 — 2315th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Iowa, it ranks 29th of 99 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Crawford County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 48.0 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 48.0
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 31
Income vs. State Median 66
Child Poverty Rate 28
Disability Rate 49
Transfer Income Dependency 34
Housing Cost Burden 47.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 33
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 25
Consumer Credit Distress 37.3
Debt in Collections 36
Medical Debt 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 33
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 39
Economic Vitality 21.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 12
Rent-to-Income Ratio 13
Business Formation Rate 64
House Price Change (YoY) 7
Legal Distress 15.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Crawford County
Crawford County, IA 38.0 Normal —
Woodbury County, IA 51.5 Elevated +13.6
Monona County, IA 41.3 Normal +3.3
Harrison County, IA 37.1 Normal -0.9
Audubon County, IA 36.6 Normal -1.4
Shelby County, IA 31.0 Healthy -7.0
Carroll County, IA 23.3 Healthy -14.6
Ida County, IA 19.2 Healthy -18.8
Sac County, IA 18.3 Healthy -19.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Crawford County
Daviess County, IN 37.9 Normal -0.0
Delta County, MI 38.0 Normal +0.0
Fountain County, IN 38.0 Normal +0.0
North Slope Borough, AK 37.9 Normal -0.1
Clark County, IL 37.9 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Crawford County has a County Distress Index score of 38.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,315th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Crawford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Crawford County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 48.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Crawford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Crawford County (38.0) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Woodbury County, IA (51.5); Monona County, IA (41.3); Harrison County, IA (37.1).

  • 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). Crawford County's score of 38.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Crawford 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 Crawford County?

    Crawford County, Iowa has a population of approximately 16,013 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.