Poweshiek County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.7 | 18,453 people · 26th most distressed in Iowa
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Poweshiek County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.7 — 2275th 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 26th 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. Poweshiek County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 66.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 66.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 55
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 68
Legal Distress 60.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Consumer Credit Distress 29.6
Debt in Collections 27
Medical Debt 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 26
Credit Card Delinquency 68
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 15
Structural Poverty 26.9
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 23
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 15
Disability Rate 32
Transfer Income Dependency 27
Economic Vitality 18.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 7
Business Formation Rate 53
House Price Change (YoY) 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Poweshiek County
Poweshiek County, IA 38.7 Normal —
Jasper County, IA 42.7 Normal +4.0
Keokuk County, IA 38.0 Normal -0.7
Marshall County, IA 35.3 Normal -3.4
Tama County, IA 35.1 Normal -3.6
Mahaska County, IA 26.9 Healthy -11.8
Iowa County, IA 24.1 Healthy -14.6
Benton County, IA 22.8 Healthy -15.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Poweshiek County
Gooding County, ID 38.7 Normal 0.0
Perry County, IL 38.7 Normal 0.0
Fairfax city, VA 38.7 Normal +0.0
Steele County, MN 38.5 Normal -0.2
Sawyer County, WI 38.9 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Poweshiek County has a County Distress Index score of 38.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,275th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Poweshiek County?

    The primary driver of distress in Poweshiek County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 66.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Poweshiek County compare to neighboring counties?

    Poweshiek County (38.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jasper County, IA (42.7); Keokuk County, IA (38.0); Marshall County, IA (35.3).

  • 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). Poweshiek County's score of 38.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Poweshiek 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 Poweshiek County?

    Poweshiek County, Iowa has a population of approximately 18,453 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.