Clark County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 21.3 | 3,948 people · 43rd most distressed in South Dakota
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Clark County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 21.3 — 3046th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages keep pace with costs, business formation is healthy, and the local economy shows resilience. Within South Dakota, it ranks 43rd of 66 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clark County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 34.2 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 34.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Rent-to-Income Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 46
House Price Change (YoY) 54
Structural Poverty 23.5
Unemployment Rate 5
Poverty Rate 30
Income vs. State Median 56
Child Poverty Rate 28
Disability Rate 9
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Consumer Credit Distress 22.7
Debt in Collections 25
Medical Debt 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Uninsured Rate 39
Subprime Credit Population 5
Housing Cost Burden 16.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 8
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 24
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 10
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clark County
Clark County, SD 21.3 Healthy —
Beadle County, SD 41.2 Normal +19.9
Codington County, SD 30.5 Healthy +9.3
Kingsbury County, SD 24.6 Healthy +3.3
Day County, SD 23.7 Healthy +2.4
Spink County, SD 17.6 Healthy -3.7
Hamlin County, SD 10.8 Healthy -10.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clark County
Washington County, KS 21.3 Healthy +0.0
Greeley County, NE 21.2 Healthy -0.1
Kidder County, ND 21.4 Healthy +0.2
Rich County, UT 21.4 Healthy +0.2
Johnson County, WY 21.1 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clark County

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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 Clark 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 Clark County, South Dakota?

    Clark County has a County Distress Index score of 21.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,046th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 43rd in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clark County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clark County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 34.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Clark County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clark County (21.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Beadle County, SD (41.2); Codington County, SD (30.5); Kingsbury County, SD (24.6).

  • 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). Clark County's score of 21.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Clark 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 Clark County?

    Clark County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 3,948 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.