Guthrie County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 29.8 | 10,722 people · 55th most distressed in Iowa
American Default Research

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

Guthrie County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 29.8 — 2771st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Iowa, it ranks 55th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Guthrie County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 61.2 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 61.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 42
Business Formation Rate 42
House Price Change (YoY) 78
Legal Distress 47.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47
Housing Cost Burden 46.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 43
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 6
Structural Poverty 24.1
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 23
Child Poverty Rate 23
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 32
Consumer Credit Distress 14.9
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 42
Auto Loan Delinquency 11
Credit Card Delinquency 7
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Guthrie County
Guthrie County, IA 29.8 Healthy —
Cass County, IA 46.3 Normal +16.5
Greene County, IA 42.1 Normal +12.4
Audubon County, IA 36.6 Normal +6.8
Adair County, IA 33.6 Healthy +3.8
Madison County, IA 28.5 Healthy -1.2
Dallas County, IA 24.2 Healthy -5.6
Carroll County, IA 23.3 Healthy -6.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Guthrie County
Park County, CO 29.7 Healthy -0.0
Koochiching County, MN 29.9 Healthy +0.1
Meeker County, MN 29.9 Healthy +0.1
Floyd County, VA 29.9 Healthy +0.1
Juneau City and Borough, AK 29.5 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Guthrie 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 Guthrie 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 Guthrie County, Iowa?

    Guthrie County has a County Distress Index score of 29.8 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,771st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 55th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Guthrie County?

    The primary driver of distress in Guthrie County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 61.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Guthrie County compare to neighboring counties?

    Guthrie County (29.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Cass County, IA (46.3); Greene County, IA (42.1); Audubon County, IA (36.6).

  • 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). Guthrie County's score of 29.8 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Guthrie 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 Guthrie County?

    Guthrie County, Iowa has a population of approximately 10,722 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.