Wapello County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.5 | 35,166 people · 1st most distressed in Iowa
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Wapello County, IA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.5 — 672nd 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 1st of 99 counties. It scores higher 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. Wapello County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 74.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 74.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 79
Consumer Credit Distress 65.7
Debt in Collections 68
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 75
Credit Card Delinquency 66
Uninsured Rate 42
Subprime Credit Population 56
Structural Poverty 59.3
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 45
Disability Rate 50
Transfer Income Dependency 67
Economic Vitality 53.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 43
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47
Business Formation Rate 74
House Price Change (YoY) 92
Legal Distress 51.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 51

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wapello County
Wapello County, IA 64.5 Elevated —
Appanoose County, IA 51.1 Elevated -13.4
Jefferson County, IA 49.8 Normal -14.7
Monroe County, IA 40.6 Normal -23.9
Van Buren County, IA 39.8 Normal -24.7
Keokuk County, IA 38.0 Normal -26.5
Mahaska County, IA 26.9 Healthy -37.6
Davis County, IA 22.3 Healthy -42.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wapello County
Claiborne County, TN 64.5 Elevated 0.0
San Jacinto County, TX 64.5 Elevated +0.0
Las Animas County, CO 64.6 Elevated +0.0
Jefferson County, FL 64.4 Elevated -0.1
Crawford County, KS 64.4 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

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Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 515-243-3179

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Wapello County has a County Distress Index score of 64.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 672nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wapello County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wapello County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 74.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Wapello County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wapello County (64.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Appanoose County, IA (51.1); Jefferson County, IA (49.8); Monroe County, IA (40.6).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Wapello County's score of 64.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Wapello 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 Wapello County?

    Wapello County, Iowa has a population of approximately 35,166 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.