Humboldt County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 23.2 | 9,500 people · 84th most distressed in Iowa
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Humboldt County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 23.2 — 3009th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are below the national average. Within Iowa, it ranks 84th of 99 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Humboldt County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 38.9 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 38.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39
Structural Poverty 28.0
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 17
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 18
Disability Rate 39
Transfer Income Dependency 32
Housing Cost Burden 27.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 8
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 41
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 19
Homeownership Rate 47
Economic Vitality 22.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 13
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 53
House Price Change (YoY) 61
Consumer Credit Distress 17.8
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Uninsured Rate 29
Subprime Credit Population 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Humboldt County
Humboldt County, IA 23.2 Healthy —
Webster County, IA 41.6 Normal +18.3
Wright County, IA 35.0 Healthy +11.8
Pocahontas County, IA 32.1 Healthy +8.9
Kossuth County, IA 26.9 Healthy +3.7
Hancock County, IA 24.2 Healthy +1.0
Palo Alto County, IA 23.4 Healthy +0.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Humboldt County
Perkins County, NE 23.3 Healthy +0.0
Knox County, NE 23.3 Healthy +0.0
Jerauld County, SD 23.2 Healthy -0.0
Perkins County, SD 23.4 Healthy +0.2
Sheridan County, KS 23.4 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

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Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 515-243-3179

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Humboldt County has a County Distress Index score of 23.2 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,009th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 84th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Humboldt County?

    The primary driver of distress in Humboldt County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 38.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Humboldt County compare to neighboring counties?

    Humboldt County (23.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Webster County, IA (41.6); Wright County, IA (35.0); Pocahontas County, IA (32.1).

  • 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). Humboldt County's score of 23.2 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Humboldt 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 Humboldt County?

    Humboldt County, Iowa has a population of approximately 9,500 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.