Corson County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.9 | 3,782 people · 6th most distressed in South Dakota
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Corson County, SD falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.9 — 1784th 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 South Dakota, it ranks 6th of 66 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

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

Structural Poverty Primary driver 83.2
Unemployment Rate 69
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 44
Transfer Income Dependency 90
Economic Vitality 59.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 54
Consumer Credit Distress 51.2
Debt in Collections 78
Medical Debt 36
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 19
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 70
Housing Cost Burden 24.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 8
Homeownership Rate 93
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Corson County
Corson County, SD 46.9 Normal —
Dewey County, SD 58.2 Elevated +11.4
Sioux County, ND 50.1 Elevated +3.3
Ziebach County, SD 42.8 Normal -4.1
Walworth County, SD 31.3 Healthy -15.6
Adams County, ND 30.1 Healthy -16.8
Emmons County, ND 24.7 Healthy -22.2
Perkins County, SD 23.4 Healthy -23.5
Campbell County, SD 17.4 Healthy -29.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Corson County
Goliad County, TX 46.9 Normal +0.0
Mineral County, CO 46.9 Normal +0.0
Dillingham Census Area, AK 46.8 Normal -0.1
Hickman County, KY 46.8 Normal -0.1
White Pine County, NV 46.7 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Corson 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 Corson 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 Corson County, South Dakota?

    Corson County has a County Distress Index score of 46.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,784th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Corson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Corson County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 83.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Corson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Corson County (46.9) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Dewey County, SD (58.2); Sioux County, ND (50.1); Ziebach County, SD (42.8).

  • 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). Corson County's score of 46.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Corson 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 Corson County?

    Corson County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 3,782 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.