Lee County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.7 | 32,565 people · 10th most distressed in Iowa
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Lee County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.7 — 1729th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Iowa, it ranks 10th of 99 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lee County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 62.9 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 62.9
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 57
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 58
Transfer Income Dependency 66
Housing Cost Burden 58.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 69
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 62
Homeownership Rate 44
Legal Distress 43.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 43
Consumer Credit Distress 42.7
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Uninsured Rate 14
Subprime Credit Population 40
Economic Vitality 30.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 9
Rent-to-Income Ratio 30
Business Formation Rate 93
House Price Change (YoY) 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Lee County, IA 47.7 Normal —
Des Moines County, IA 62.6 Elevated +14.9
Clark County, MO 53.1 Elevated +5.4
Henry County, IA 41.1 Normal -6.7
Henderson County, IL 40.8 Normal -6.9
Van Buren County, IA 39.8 Normal -8.0
Hancock County, IL 28.9 Healthy -18.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lee County
Marion County, MO 47.7 Normal +0.0
Preston County, WV 47.8 Normal +0.1
Champaign County, OH 47.6 Normal -0.1
McKean County, PA 47.8 Normal +0.1
Iron County, MI 47.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Lee County has a County Distress Index score of 47.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,729th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lee County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lee County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 62.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Lee County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lee County (47.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Des Moines County, IA (62.6); Clark County, MO (53.1); Henry County, IA (41.1).

  • 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 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). Lee County's score of 47.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Lee 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 Lee County?

    Lee County, Iowa has a population of approximately 32,565 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.