Palo Alto County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 23.4 | 8,810 people · 82nd most distressed in Iowa
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Palo Alto County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 23.4 — 3002nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages keep pace with costs, business formation is healthy, and the local economy shows resilience. Within Iowa, it ranks 82nd 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. Palo Alto County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 35.2 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 35.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 92
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Structural Poverty 34.9
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 26
Income vs. State Median 64
Child Poverty Rate 27
Disability Rate 31
Transfer Income Dependency 30
Housing Cost Burden 27.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 43
Consumer Credit Distress 18.6
Debt in Collections 7
Medical Debt 16
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Uninsured Rate 18
Subprime Credit Population 15
Legal Distress 8.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Palo Alto County
Palo Alto County, IA 23.4 Healthy —
Emmet County, IA 33.9 Healthy +10.5
Buena Vista County, IA 32.2 Healthy +8.7
Pocahontas County, IA 32.1 Healthy +8.7
Clay County, IA 28.2 Healthy +4.8
Kossuth County, IA 26.9 Healthy +3.5
Dickinson County, IA 23.9 Healthy +0.5
Humboldt County, IA 23.2 Healthy -0.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Palo Alto County
Sheridan County, KS 23.4 Healthy -0.0
Perkins County, SD 23.4 Healthy -0.0
Calhoun County, IA 23.6 Healthy +0.1
Knox County, NE 23.3 Healthy -0.2
Hamilton County, KS 23.6 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Palo Alto County as a CSV file.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Palo Alto County, Iowa?

    Palo Alto County has a County Distress Index score of 23.4 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,002nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 82nd in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Palo Alto County?

    The primary driver of distress in Palo Alto County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 35.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Palo Alto County compare to neighboring counties?

    Palo Alto County (23.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Emmet County, IA (33.9); Buena Vista County, IA (32.2); Pocahontas County, IA (32.1).

  • 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 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). Palo Alto County's score of 23.4 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

  • What data sources power Palo Alto County's CDI score?

    Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto County?

    Palo Alto County, Iowa has a population of approximately 8,810 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.