Madison County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 28.5 | 16,971 people · 60th most distressed in Iowa
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Madison County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 28.5 — 2823rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Iowa, it ranks 60th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Madison County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 62.8 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 62.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 84
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 54
House Price Change (YoY) 85
Legal Distress 30.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30
Consumer Credit Distress 27.2
Debt in Collections 24
Medical Debt 27
Auto Loan Delinquency 45
Credit Card Delinquency 32
Uninsured Rate 16
Subprime Credit Population 17
Housing Cost Burden 26.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 24
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 13
Structural Poverty 12.3
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 5
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Madison County
Madison County, IA 28.5 Healthy —
Polk County, IA 43.6 Normal +15.1
Clarke County, IA 41.9 Normal +13.4
Union County, IA 37.7 Normal +9.2
Adair County, IA 33.6 Healthy +5.1
Guthrie County, IA 29.8 Healthy +1.2
Warren County, IA 28.7 Healthy +0.2
Dallas County, IA 24.2 Healthy -4.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Madison County
Routt County, CO 28.5 Healthy +0.0
Colfax County, NE 28.5 Healthy -0.0
Lamoille County, VT 28.6 Healthy +0.1
Goodhue County, MN 28.4 Healthy -0.1
Powhatan County, VA 28.6 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Madison County has a County Distress Index score of 28.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,823rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 60th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Madison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Madison County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 62.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Madison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Madison County (28.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Polk County, IA (43.6); Clarke County, IA (41.9); Union County, IA (37.7).

  • 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). Madison County's score of 28.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Madison 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 Madison County?

    Madison County, Iowa has a population of approximately 16,971 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.