Wright County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 35.0 | 12,656 people · 38th most distressed in Iowa
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Wright County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 35.0 — 2473rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency rates remain below the national norm. Within Iowa, it ranks 38th of 99 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wright County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 42.1 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 42.1
Debt in Collections 39
Medical Debt 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 36
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Uninsured Rate 22
Subprime Credit Population 45
Housing Cost Burden 35.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 51
Structural Poverty 30.5
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 29
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 39
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 40
Legal Distress 19.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 20
Economic Vitality 16.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 69
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wright County
Wright County, IA 35.0 Healthy —
Webster County, IA 41.6 Normal +6.6
Hardin County, IA 37.6 Normal +2.6
Cerro Gordo County, IA 30.1 Healthy -4.9
Franklin County, IA 30.0 Healthy -5.0
Hamilton County, IA 28.1 Healthy -6.9
Kossuth County, IA 26.9 Healthy -8.1
Hancock County, IA 24.2 Healthy -10.8
Humboldt County, IA 23.2 Healthy -11.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wright County
Mackinac County, MI 35.0 Healthy -0.0
Chippewa County, MN 35.0 Healthy -0.0
Potter County, PA 34.9 Healthy -0.1
Tama County, IA 35.1 Normal +0.1
Inyo County, CA 34.9 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wright County

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Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 515-243-3179

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Wright County has a County Distress Index score of 35.0 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,473rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wright County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wright County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 42.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Wright County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wright County (35.0) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Webster County, IA (41.6); Hardin County, IA (37.6); Cerro Gordo County, IA (30.1).

  • 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 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). Wright County's score of 35.0 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Wright 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 Wright County?

    Wright County, Iowa has a population of approximately 12,656 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.