Lucas County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.0 | 8,747 people · 12th most distressed in Iowa
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Lucas County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.0 — 1850th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Iowa, it ranks 12th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lucas County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 61.1 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 61.1
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 51
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 66
Disability Rate 58
Transfer Income Dependency 56
Housing Cost Burden 50.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 87
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 14
Legal Distress 49.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 50
Consumer Credit Distress 41.6
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 37
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 34
Economic Vitality 31.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 35
Business Formation Rate 35
House Price Change (YoY) 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lucas County
Lucas County, IA 46.0 Normal —
Appanoose County, IA 51.1 Elevated +5.2
Decatur County, IA 43.3 Normal -2.7
Clarke County, IA 41.9 Normal -4.0
Monroe County, IA 40.6 Normal -5.3
Wayne County, IA 32.5 Healthy -13.4
Warren County, IA 28.7 Healthy -17.3
Marion County, IA 28.3 Healthy -17.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lucas County
Chautauqua County, KS 46.0 Normal +0.0
Calhoun County, AR 46.0 Normal +0.0
Buffalo County, SD 46.0 Normal +0.1
Trimble County, KY 45.9 Normal -0.1
Sutton County, TX 46.1 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Lucas County has a County Distress Index score of 46.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,850th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lucas County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lucas County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 61.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Lucas County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lucas County (46.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Appanoose County, IA (51.1); Decatur County, IA (43.3); Clarke County, IA (41.9).

  • 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). Lucas County's score of 46.0 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Lucas 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 Lucas County?

    Lucas County, Iowa has a population of approximately 8,747 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.