Hardin County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.6 | 16,463 people · 31st most distressed in Iowa
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Hardin County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.6 — 2333rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Iowa, it ranks 31st of 99 counties. It scores higher 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. Hardin County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 50.6 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 50.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 56
Consumer Credit Distress 37.1
Debt in Collections 27
Medical Debt 33
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 46
Uninsured Rate 16
Subprime Credit Population 37
Structural Poverty 35.1
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 29
Disability Rate 34
Transfer Income Dependency 32
Economic Vitality 27.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 7
Business Formation Rate 73
House Price Change (YoY) 93
Legal Distress 18.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hardin County
Hardin County, IA 37.6 Normal —
Marshall County, IA 35.3 Normal -2.3
Wright County, IA 35.0 Healthy -2.6
Story County, IA 34.9 Healthy -2.7
Franklin County, IA 30.0 Healthy -7.6
Hamilton County, IA 28.1 Healthy -9.5
Butler County, IA 18.1 Healthy -19.4
Grundy County, IA 16.6 Healthy -21.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hardin County
Dodge County, NE 37.6 Normal 0.0
Douglas County, WI 37.5 Normal -0.0
Gage County, NE 37.5 Normal -0.1
Houghton County, MI 37.5 Normal -0.1
Union County, IA 37.7 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Hardin County has a County Distress Index score of 37.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,333rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 31st in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hardin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hardin County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 50.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hardin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hardin County (37.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Marshall County, IA (35.3); Wright County, IA (35.0); Story County, IA (34.9).

  • 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). Hardin County's score of 37.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Hardin 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 Hardin County?

    Hardin County, Iowa has a population of approximately 16,463 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.