Sac County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 18.3 | 9,686 people · 92nd most distressed in Iowa
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Sac County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 18.3 — 3099th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where household incomes are relatively strong and poverty rates are low. Within Iowa, it ranks 92nd of 99 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sac County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 27.1 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 27.1
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 37
Child Poverty Rate 28
Disability Rate 19
Transfer Income Dependency 26
Economic Vitality 23.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 91
Housing Cost Burden 19.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 8
Homeownership Rate 29
Legal Distress 15.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16
Consumer Credit Distress 14.6
Debt in Collections 9
Medical Debt 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 8
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Uninsured Rate 20
Subprime Credit Population 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sac County
Sac County, IA 18.3 Healthy —
Crawford County, IA 38.0 Normal +19.7
Cherokee County, IA 32.5 Healthy +14.2
Buena Vista County, IA 32.2 Healthy +13.9
Pocahontas County, IA 32.1 Healthy +13.8
Calhoun County, IA 23.6 Healthy +5.3
Carroll County, IA 23.3 Healthy +5.0
Ida County, IA 19.2 Healthy +0.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sac County
Howard County, IA 18.3 Healthy +0.0
Griggs County, ND 18.3 Healthy +0.0
Harding County, SD 18.3 Healthy +0.0
Kittson County, MN 18.3 Healthy +0.0
Murray County, MN 18.0 Healthy -0.3

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Sac County has a County Distress Index score of 18.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,099th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 92nd in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sac County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sac County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 27.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Sac County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sac County (18.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Crawford County, IA (38.0); Cherokee County, IA (32.5); Buena Vista County, IA (32.2).

  • 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). Sac County's score of 18.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Sac 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 Sac County?

    Sac County, Iowa has a population of approximately 9,686 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.