Davis County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 22.3 | 9,169 people · 87th most distressed in Iowa
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Davis County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 22.3 — 3027th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages keep pace with costs, business formation is healthy, and the local economy shows resilience. Within Iowa, it ranks 87th of 99 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Davis County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 39.9 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 39.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 48
Rent-to-Income Ratio 27
Business Formation Rate 58
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Structural Poverty 31.4
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 34
Income vs. State Median 59
Child Poverty Rate 38
Disability Rate 8
Transfer Income Dependency 25
Legal Distress 23.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23
Consumer Credit Distress 18.9
Debt in Collections 6
Medical Debt 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 22
Housing Cost Burden 16.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 15
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Davis County
Davis County, IA 22.3 Healthy —
Wapello County, IA 64.5 Elevated +42.3
Appanoose County, IA 51.1 Elevated +28.9
Jefferson County, IA 49.8 Normal +27.5
Monroe County, IA 40.6 Normal +18.4
Van Buren County, IA 39.8 Normal +17.5
Schuyler County, MO 37.0 Normal +14.7
Scotland County, MO 32.3 Healthy +10.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Davis County
Sweet Grass County, MT 22.2 Healthy -0.1
Pepin County, WI 22.1 Healthy -0.2
Slope County, ND 22.1 Healthy -0.2
McCook County, SD 22.5 Healthy +0.2
Wells County, ND 22.0 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Davis County has a County Distress Index score of 22.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,027th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 87th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Davis County?

    The primary driver of distress in Davis County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 39.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Davis County compare to neighboring counties?

    Davis County (22.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Wapello County, IA (64.5); Appanoose County, IA (51.1); Jefferson County, IA (49.8).

  • 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). Davis County's score of 22.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Davis 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 Davis County?

    Davis County, Iowa has a population of approximately 9,169 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.