Mower County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.5 | 40,058 people · 9th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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Mower County, MN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.5 — 2091st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filings are moderately elevated. Within Minnesota, it ranks 9th of 87 counties. It scores higher than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Mower County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 63.0 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 63.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Housing Cost Burden 61.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 55
Homeownership Rate 41
Structural Poverty 47.4
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 47
Income vs. State Median 67
Child Poverty Rate 47
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 45
Economic Vitality 30.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 27
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 16
Consumer Credit Distress 29.6
Debt in Collections 29
Medical Debt 16
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 28
Uninsured Rate 30
Subprime Credit Population 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mower County
Mower County, MN 41.5 Normal —
Freeborn County, MN 39.4 Normal -2.1
Steele County, MN 38.5 Normal -3.0
Olmsted County, MN 30.0 Healthy -11.6
Dodge County, MN 29.5 Healthy -12.0
Fillmore County, MN 27.2 Healthy -14.4
Worth County, IA 22.7 Healthy -18.9
Howard County, IA 18.3 Healthy -23.2
Mitchell County, IA 17.5 Healthy -24.0

Population Peers

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

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mower 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 Mower 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 Mower County, Minnesota?

    Mower County has a County Distress Index score of 41.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,091st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 9th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mower County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mower County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 63.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Mower County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mower County (41.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Freeborn County, MN (39.4); Steele County, MN (38.5); Olmsted County, MN (30.0).

  • 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). Mower County's score of 41.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Mower 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 Mower County?

    Mower County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 40,058 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.