Sioux County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.1 | 3,643 people · 2nd most distressed in North Dakota
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Sioux County, ND registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.1 — 1566th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within North Dakota, it ranks 2nd of 53 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sioux County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 77.8 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 77.8
Unemployment Rate 13
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 49
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 54.8
Debt in Collections 58
Medical Debt 50
Auto Loan Delinquency 24
Credit Card Delinquency 17
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 95
Housing Cost Burden 43.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 26
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 95
Economic Vitality 37.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 61
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 19
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sioux County
Sioux County, ND 50.1 Elevated —
Corson County, SD 46.9 Normal -3.3
Morton County, ND 34.6 Healthy -15.5
Grant County, ND 33.7 Healthy -16.4
Adams County, ND 30.1 Healthy -20.1
Emmons County, ND 24.7 Healthy -25.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sioux County
Eureka County, NV 50.1 Elevated -0.0
Dawes County, NE 50.2 Elevated +0.1
Coal County, OK 50.0 Elevated -0.1
Woods County, OK 50.4 Elevated +0.2
Luce County, MI 50.4 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sioux County

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State Bar Association of North Dakota Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar Association of North Dakota Lawyer Referral Service 701-255-1404

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Sioux County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of North Dakota 1-800-634-5263

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Sioux County, North Dakota?

    Sioux County has a County Distress Index score of 50.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,566th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sioux County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sioux County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 77.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Sioux County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sioux County (50.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Corson County, SD (46.9); Morton County, ND (34.6); Grant County, ND (33.7).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Sioux County's score of 50.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Sioux 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 Sioux County?

    Sioux County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 3,643 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.