Dickinson County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 23.9 | 18,056 people · 79th most distressed in Iowa
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Dickinson County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 23.9 — 2993rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filings are moderately elevated. Within Iowa, it ranks 79th 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. Dickinson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 50.6 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 50.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 51
Economic Vitality 41.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 71
Rent-to-Income Ratio 7
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 20
Housing Cost Burden 41.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 35
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 66
Homeownership Rate 37
Structural Poverty 20.5
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 7
Income vs. State Median 19
Child Poverty Rate 7
Disability Rate 38
Transfer Income Dependency 16
Consumer Credit Distress 9.2
Debt in Collections 7
Medical Debt 24
Auto Loan Delinquency 9
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dickinson County
Dickinson County, IA 23.9 Healthy —
Emmet County, IA 33.9 Healthy +10.0
Clay County, IA 28.2 Healthy +4.3
Osceola County, IA 27.8 Healthy +3.8
O'Brien County, IA 27.4 Healthy +3.4
Jackson County, MN 26.1 Healthy +2.1
Palo Alto County, IA 23.4 Healthy -0.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dickinson County
Mercer County, OH 24.0 Healthy +0.1
Yankton County, SD 23.9 Healthy -0.1
Buchanan County, IA 23.8 Healthy -0.1
Iowa County, IA 24.1 Healthy +0.1
Hancock County, IA 24.2 Healthy +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dickinson County

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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 Dickinson County residents at no cost.

Iowa Legal Aid 1-800-532-1275

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Dickinson County has a County Distress Index score of 23.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,993rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 79th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dickinson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dickinson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 50.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Dickinson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dickinson County (23.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Emmet County, IA (33.9); Clay County, IA (28.2); Osceola County, IA (27.8).

  • 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). Dickinson County's score of 23.9 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Dickinson 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 Dickinson County?

    Dickinson County, Iowa has a population of approximately 18,056 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.