Ringgold County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 34.0 | 4,642 people · 40th most distressed in Iowa
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Ringgold County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 34.0 — 2522nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Iowa, it ranks 40th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Ringgold County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 55.7 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 55.7
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 75
Child Poverty Rate 63
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 68
Economic Vitality 33.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 33
House Price Change (YoY) 51
Consumer Credit Distress 33.5
Debt in Collections 34
Medical Debt 80
Auto Loan Delinquency 19
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 18
Housing Cost Burden 30.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 38
Homeownership Rate 25
Legal Distress 7.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Ringgold County
Ringgold County, IA 34.0 Healthy —
Harrison County, MO 45.6 Normal +11.6
Decatur County, IA 43.3 Normal +9.2
Clarke County, IA 41.9 Normal +7.9
Union County, IA 37.7 Normal +3.7
Worth County, MO 36.8 Normal +2.8
Adams County, IA 33.3 Healthy -0.8
Taylor County, IA 29.6 Healthy -4.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Ringgold County
Scott County, IL 34.0 Healthy +0.0
Skagway Municipality, AK 34.0 Healthy -0.0
Clark County, ID 34.1 Healthy +0.0
Mercer County, MO 34.0 Healthy -0.0
Emmet County, IA 33.9 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Ringgold County has a County Distress Index score of 34.0 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,522nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 40th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ringgold County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ringgold County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 55.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Ringgold County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ringgold County (34.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Harrison County, MO (45.6); 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 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). Ringgold County's score of 34.0 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Ringgold 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 Ringgold County?

    Ringgold County, Iowa has a population of approximately 4,642 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.