Shelby County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.0 | 11,806 people · 51st most distressed in Iowa
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Shelby County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.0 — 2703rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Iowa, it ranks 51st of 99 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Shelby County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 43.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 43.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 34
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 59
Homeownership Rate 43
Consumer Credit Distress 29.9
Debt in Collections 32
Medical Debt 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 63
Credit Card Delinquency 20
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 15
Structural Poverty 24.9
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 12
Income vs. State Median 49
Child Poverty Rate 11
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 36
Legal Distress 23.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 23
Economic Vitality 22.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 17
Rent-to-Income Ratio 6
Business Formation Rate 59
House Price Change (YoY) 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Shelby County
Shelby County, IA 31.0 Healthy —
Pottawattamie County, IA 51.5 Elevated +20.5
Cass County, IA 46.3 Normal +15.3
Crawford County, IA 38.0 Normal +7.0
Harrison County, IA 37.1 Normal +6.1
Audubon County, IA 36.6 Normal +5.6
Carroll County, IA 23.3 Healthy -7.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Shelby County
Richland County, WI 31.0 Healthy -0.0
Fergus County, MT 31.0 Healthy +0.0
Fulton County, PA 31.0 Healthy +0.0
Mercer County, IL 31.0 Healthy +0.0
Marion County, KS 31.1 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Shelby County has a County Distress Index score of 31.0 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,703rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 51st in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Shelby County?

    The primary driver of distress in Shelby County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 43.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Shelby County compare to neighboring counties?

    Shelby County (31.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Pottawattamie County, IA (51.5); Cass County, IA (46.3); Crawford County, IA (38.0).

  • 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). Shelby County's score of 31.0 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Shelby 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 Shelby County?

    Shelby County, Iowa has a population of approximately 11,806 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.