Custer County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 19.9 | 9,117 people · 50th most distressed in South Dakota
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Custer County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 19.9 — 3075th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within South Dakota, it ranks 50th of 66 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Custer County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 45.8 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 45.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 14
House Price Change (YoY) 12
Structural Poverty 31.6
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 23
Child Poverty Rate 26
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 34
Housing Cost Burden 16.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 10
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 7
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 90
Homeownership Rate 5
Consumer Credit Distress 14.8
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 10
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 66
Subprime Credit Population 8
Legal Distress 7.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Custer County
Custer County, SD 19.9 Healthy —
Fall River County, SD 54.4 Elevated +34.5
Niobrara County, WY 48.1 Normal +28.2
Pennington County, SD 42.7 Normal +22.8
Weston County, WY 25.5 Healthy +5.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Custer County
Towner County, ND 19.9 Healthy 0.0
Gove County, KS 19.9 Healthy +0.0
Dickey County, ND 19.8 Healthy -0.1
Marshall County, MN 19.8 Healthy -0.1
Traill County, ND 20.0 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Custer 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 Custer 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 Custer County, South Dakota?

    Custer County has a County Distress Index score of 19.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,075th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 50th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Custer County?

    The primary driver of distress in Custer County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 45.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Custer County compare to neighboring counties?

    Custer County (19.9) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Fall River County, SD (54.4); Niobrara County, WY (48.1); Pennington County, SD (42.7).

  • 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 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). Custer County's score of 19.9 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Custer 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 Custer County?

    Custer County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 9,117 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.