Johnson County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.1 | 157,528 people · 35th most distressed in Iowa
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Johnson County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.1 — 2415th 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 35th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Johnson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 95.7 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 95.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 94
Economic Vitality 26.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 15
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 56
House Price Change (YoY) 38
Structural Poverty 20.5
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 12
Disability Rate 4
Transfer Income Dependency 6
Legal Distress 18.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19
Consumer Credit Distress 17.3
Debt in Collections 15
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 23
Credit Card Delinquency 7
Uninsured Rate 19
Subprime Credit Population 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Johnson County, IA 36.1 Normal —
Muscatine County, IA 41.4 Normal +5.3
Linn County, IA 38.1 Normal +2.0
Louisa County, IA 30.4 Healthy -5.7
Cedar County, IA 28.9 Healthy -7.2
Washington County, IA 27.5 Healthy -8.6
Iowa County, IA 24.1 Healthy -12.0
Benton County, IA 22.8 Healthy -13.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Merrimack County, NH 36.2 Normal +0.1
Washington County, PA 36.2 Normal +0.1
Midland County, MI 36.3 Normal +0.1
Gallatin County, MT 36.3 Normal +0.2
Queen Anne's County, MD 36.4 Normal +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Johnson 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 Johnson County, Iowa?

    Johnson County has a County Distress Index score of 36.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,415th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Johnson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Johnson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 95.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Johnson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Johnson County (36.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Muscatine County, IA (41.4); Linn County, IA (38.1); Louisa County, IA (30.4).

  • 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). Johnson County's score of 36.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Johnson 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 Johnson County?

    Johnson County, Iowa has a population of approximately 157,528 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.