Wayne County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.5 | 6,557 people · 46th most distressed in Iowa
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Wayne County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.5 — 2610th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Iowa, it ranks 46th 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. Wayne County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 55.4 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 55.4
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 70
Disability Rate 39
Transfer Income Dependency 47
Legal Distress 39.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 39
Economic Vitality 29.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 23
Business Formation Rate 70
House Price Change (YoY) 14
Consumer Credit Distress 29.0
Debt in Collections 29
Medical Debt 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 8
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 35
Housing Cost Burden 25.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 21
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 23
Homeownership Rate 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Wayne County, IA 32.5 Healthy —
Appanoose County, IA 51.1 Elevated +18.6
Lucas County, IA 46.0 Normal +13.4
Decatur County, IA 43.3 Normal +10.7
Clarke County, IA 41.9 Normal +9.4
Monroe County, IA 40.6 Normal +8.1
Putnam County, MO 39.8 Normal +7.2
Mercer County, MO 34.0 Healthy +1.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wayne County
Garfield County, MT 32.5 Healthy 0.0
Alpine County, CA 32.6 Healthy +0.0
Copper River Census Area, AK 32.4 Healthy -0.1
Kingman County, KS 32.4 Healthy -0.1
Kalawao County, HI 32.4 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Wayne County has a County Distress Index score of 32.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,610th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wayne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wayne County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 55.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Wayne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wayne County (32.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Appanoose County, IA (51.1); Lucas County, IA (46.0); Decatur County, IA (43.3).

  • 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). Wayne County's score of 32.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Wayne 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 Wayne County?

    Wayne County, Iowa has a population of approximately 6,557 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.