Dodge County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 29.5 | 21,088 people · 58th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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Dodge County, MN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 29.5 — 2784th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Minnesota, it ranks 58th of 87 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dodge County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 82.4 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 82.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Economic Vitality 58.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31
Business Formation Rate 74
House Price Change (YoY) 56
Housing Cost Burden 44.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 37
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 91
Homeownership Rate 1
Structural Poverty 17.4
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 6
Transfer Income Dependency 17
Consumer Credit Distress 12.1
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 14
Auto Loan Delinquency 17
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Uninsured Rate 22
Subprime Credit Population 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dodge County
Dodge County, MN 29.5 Healthy —
Mower County, MN 41.5 Normal +12.0
Steele County, MN 38.5 Normal +9.0
Rice County, MN 34.7 Healthy +5.2
Olmsted County, MN 30.0 Healthy +0.5
Goodhue County, MN 28.4 Healthy -1.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dodge County
Juneau City and Borough, AK 29.5 Healthy +0.0
Charlevoix County, MI 29.5 Healthy -0.0
Lake County, SD 29.5 Healthy -0.1
Walsh County, ND 29.4 Healthy -0.1
Kodiak Island Borough, AK 29.3 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dodge County

Find an Attorney

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

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 612-278-6333

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Dodge County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis 612-334-5970
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid 612-332-1441
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services 1-888-575-2954
Central Minnesota Legal Services, Inc. (612) 334-5970
Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (800) 933-1112
Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota Corporation (800) 450-8585

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Dodge County, Minnesota?

    Dodge County has a County Distress Index score of 29.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,784th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dodge County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dodge County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 82.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Dodge County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dodge County (29.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Mower County, MN (41.5); Steele County, MN (38.5); Rice County, MN (34.7).

  • 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). Dodge County's score of 29.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Dodge 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 Dodge County?

    Dodge County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 21,088 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.