Howard County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 18.3 | 9,376 people · 91st most distressed in Iowa
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Howard County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 18.3 — 3098th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where household incomes are relatively strong and poverty rates are low. Within Iowa, it ranks 91st of 99 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Howard County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 27.7 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 27.7
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 21
Disability Rate 8
Transfer Income Dependency 23
Economic Vitality 27.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 29
Rent-to-Income Ratio 8
Business Formation Rate 62
House Price Change (YoY) 11
Housing Cost Burden 26.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 13
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 65
Homeownership Rate 38
Consumer Credit Distress 12.3
Debt in Collections 6
Medical Debt 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 62
Subprime Credit Population 5
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Howard County
Howard County, IA 18.3 Healthy —
Mower County, MN 41.5 Normal +23.2
Floyd County, IA 27.7 Healthy +9.4
Fillmore County, MN 27.2 Healthy +8.9
Chickasaw County, IA 18.7 Healthy +0.4
Mitchell County, IA 17.5 Healthy -0.8
Winneshiek County, IA 16.2 Healthy -2.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Howard County
Sac County, IA 18.3 Healthy -0.0
Griggs County, ND 18.3 Healthy +0.0
Harding County, SD 18.3 Healthy +0.0
Kittson County, MN 18.3 Healthy +0.0
Murray County, MN 18.0 Healthy -0.3

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Howard County has a County Distress Index score of 18.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,098th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 91st in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Howard County?

    The primary driver of distress in Howard County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 27.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Howard County compare to neighboring counties?

    Howard County (18.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Mower County, MN (41.5); Floyd County, IA (27.7); Fillmore County, MN (27.2).

  • 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). Howard County's score of 18.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Howard 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 Howard County?

    Howard County, Iowa has a population of approximately 9,376 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.