Bennett County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.2 | 3,305 people · 8th most distressed in South Dakota
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Bennett County, SD falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.2 — 1940th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within South Dakota, it ranks 8th of 66 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 4 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bennett County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 83.2 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 83.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Business Formation Rate 66
House Price Change (YoY) 54
Structural Poverty 70.3
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 78
Consumer Credit Distress 41.6
Debt in Collections 41
Medical Debt 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 19
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 70
Housing Cost Burden 28.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 9
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 6
Homeownership Rate 95
Legal Distress 12.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bennett County
Bennett County, SD 44.2 Normal —
Todd County, SD 59.6 Elevated +15.4
Jackson County, SD 51.3 Elevated +7.1
Mellette County, SD 42.0 Normal -2.2
Cherry County, NE 31.6 Healthy -12.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bennett County
Grant County, OK 44.4 Normal +0.1
Winkler County, TX 44.0 Normal -0.2
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK 44.5 Normal +0.2
Lewis County, MO 44.0 Normal -0.3
Woodson County, KS 44.6 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bennett County

Find an Attorney

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

State Bar of South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service 605-224-7554

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Bennett County residents at no cost.

East River Legal Services 1-800-952-3015
Dakota Plains Legal Services 1-800-658-2297

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Bennett County, South Dakota?

    Bennett County has a County Distress Index score of 44.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,940th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bennett County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bennett County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 83.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Bennett County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bennett County (44.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Todd County, SD (59.6); Jackson County, SD (51.3); Mellette County, SD (42.0).

  • 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). Bennett County's score of 44.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Bennett 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 Bennett County?

    Bennett County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 3,305 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.