Union County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.7 | 11,906 people · 30th most distressed in Iowa
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Union County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.7 — 2329th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Iowa, it ranks 30th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Union County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 62.6 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 62.6
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 51
Income vs. State Median 83
Child Poverty Rate 49
Disability Rate 48
Transfer Income Dependency 75
Legal Distress 53.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Housing Cost Burden 44.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 25
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 52
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 57
Homeownership Rate 61
Economic Vitality 29.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 21
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 67
House Price Change (YoY) 7
Consumer Credit Distress 26.7
Debt in Collections 35
Medical Debt 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Union County
Union County, IA 37.7 Normal —
Decatur County, IA 43.3 Normal +5.5
Clarke County, IA 41.9 Normal +4.2
Ringgold County, IA 34.0 Healthy -3.7
Adair County, IA 33.6 Healthy -4.1
Adams County, IA 33.3 Healthy -4.5
Taylor County, IA 29.6 Healthy -8.2
Madison County, IA 28.5 Healthy -9.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Union County
Lee County, IL 37.8 Normal +0.1
Huntingdon County, PA 37.8 Normal +0.1
Lake County, MN 37.9 Normal +0.1
Sanpete County, UT 37.9 Normal +0.1
Hardin County, IA 37.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Union County has a County Distress Index score of 37.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,329th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 30th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Union County?

    The primary driver of distress in Union County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 62.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Union County compare to neighboring counties?

    Union County (37.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Decatur County, IA (43.3); Clarke County, IA (41.9); Ringgold County, IA (34.0).

  • 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 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). Union County's score of 37.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Union 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 Union County?

    Union County, Iowa has a population of approximately 11,906 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.