Jefferson County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.8 | 15,440 people · 8th most distressed in Iowa
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Jefferson County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.8 — 1587th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Iowa, it ranks 8th of 99 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jefferson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 81.8 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 81.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 64
Homeownership Rate 84
Legal Distress 71.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 72
Structural Poverty 52.4
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 85
Child Poverty Rate 54
Disability Rate 30
Transfer Income Dependency 50
Economic Vitality 47.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 44
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 18
House Price Change (YoY) 85
Consumer Credit Distress 31.0
Debt in Collections 30
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 15
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, IA 49.8 Normal —
Wapello County, IA 64.5 Elevated +14.7
Henry County, IA 41.1 Normal -8.7
Van Buren County, IA 39.8 Normal -10.0
Keokuk County, IA 38.0 Normal -11.8
Washington County, IA 27.5 Healthy -22.3
Davis County, IA 22.3 Healthy -27.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Comanche County, TX 49.8 Normal -0.0
Franklin County, TN 49.8 Normal +0.1
Orange County, IN 49.7 Normal -0.1
Custer County, MT 49.9 Normal +0.1
Mariposa County, CA 49.9 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 49.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,587th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 81.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (49.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wapello County, IA (64.5); Henry County, IA (41.1); Van Buren County, IA (39.8).

  • 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 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). Jefferson County's score of 49.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, Iowa has a population of approximately 15,440 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.