Scott County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.2 | 174,270 people · 13th most distressed in Iowa
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Scott County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.2 — 1945th 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 13th of 99 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Scott County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 66.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 66.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 59
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 64
Homeownership Rate 72
Legal Distress 53.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Consumer Credit Distress 40.1
Debt in Collections 43
Medical Debt 33
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Uninsured Rate 22
Subprime Credit Population 39
Economic Vitality 28.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Rent-to-Income Ratio 18
Business Formation Rate 44
House Price Change (YoY) 45
Structural Poverty 27.1
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 24
Disability Rate 17
Transfer Income Dependency 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Scott County, IA 44.2 Normal —
Rock Island County, IL 52.0 Elevated +7.8
Clinton County, IA 49.5 Normal +5.4
Muscatine County, IA 41.4 Normal -2.7
Cedar County, IA 28.9 Healthy -15.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Maui County, HI 44.1 Normal -0.0
Franklin County, MO 44.2 Normal +0.1
Limestone County, AL 44.2 Normal +0.1
Cayuga County, NY 44.2 Normal +0.1
Rensselaer County, NY 44.0 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Scott County

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Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 515-243-3179

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Legal aid organizations serving Scott County residents at no cost.

Iowa Legal Aid 1-800-532-1275

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Scott County has a County Distress Index score of 44.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,945th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Scott County?

    The primary driver of distress in Scott County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 66.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Scott County compare to neighboring counties?

    Scott County (44.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Rock Island County, IL (52.0); Clinton County, IA (49.5); Muscatine County, IA (41.4).

  • 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). Scott County's score of 44.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Scott 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 Scott County?

    Scott County, Iowa has a population of approximately 174,270 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.