Webster County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.6 | 36,485 people · 20th most distressed in Iowa
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Webster County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.6 — 2088th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Iowa, it ranks 20th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Webster County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 48.5 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 48.5
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 54
Income vs. State Median 68
Child Poverty Rate 47
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 43
Consumer Credit Distress 45.5
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 34
Credit Card Delinquency 69
Uninsured Rate 45
Subprime Credit Population 48
Housing Cost Burden 40.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 36
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 70
Legal Distress 28.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 28
Economic Vitality 24.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 6
Rent-to-Income Ratio 14
Business Formation Rate 74
House Price Change (YoY) 53

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Webster County
Webster County, IA 41.6 Normal —
Greene County, IA 42.1 Normal +0.6
Wright County, IA 35.0 Healthy -6.6
Pocahontas County, IA 32.1 Healthy -9.5
Hamilton County, IA 28.1 Healthy -13.5
Boone County, IA 24.4 Healthy -17.1
Calhoun County, IA 23.6 Healthy -18.0
Humboldt County, IA 23.2 Healthy -18.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Webster County
Isle of Wight County, VA 41.6 Normal -0.0
Mower County, MN 41.5 Normal -0.0
White County, IL 41.5 Normal -0.0
Talbot County, MD 41.5 Normal -0.1
Amador County, CA 41.5 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Webster County has a County Distress Index score of 41.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,088th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 20th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Webster County?

    The primary driver of distress in Webster County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 48.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Webster County compare to neighboring counties?

    Webster County (41.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Greene County, IA (42.1); Wright County, IA (35.0); Pocahontas County, IA (32.1).

  • 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). Webster County's score of 41.6 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Webster 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 Webster County?

    Webster County, Iowa has a population of approximately 36,485 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.