Dewey County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.2 | 5,208 people · 3rd most distressed in South Dakota
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Dewey County, SD registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.2 — 1058th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within South Dakota, it ranks 3rd of 66 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Dewey County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 77.2 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 77.2
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 91
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 86
Structural Poverty 71.5
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 89
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 66
Economic Vitality 48.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Rent-to-Income Ratio 67
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 54
Housing Cost Burden 28.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 9
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 17
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 44
Homeownership Rate 91
Legal Distress 12.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Dewey County
Dewey County, SD 58.2 Elevated —
Corson County, SD 46.9 Normal -11.4
Ziebach County, SD 42.8 Normal -15.5
Stanley County, SD 32.8 Healthy -25.4
Walworth County, SD 31.3 Healthy -27.0
Potter County, SD 27.6 Healthy -30.6
Haakon County, SD 17.1 Healthy -41.1
Sully County, SD 16.2 Healthy -42.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Dewey County
Storey County, NV 58.2 Elevated 0.0
Carroll County, MS 58.4 Elevated +0.1
Briscoe County, TX 58.4 Elevated +0.2
Chattahoochee County, GA 58.1 Elevated -0.2
Throckmorton County, TX 57.9 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Dewey 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 Dewey 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 Dewey County, South Dakota?

    Dewey County has a County Distress Index score of 58.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,058th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Dewey County?

    The primary driver of distress in Dewey County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 77.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Dewey County compare to neighboring counties?

    Dewey County (58.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Corson County, SD (46.9); Ziebach County, SD (42.8); Stanley County, SD (32.8).

  • 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 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). Dewey County's score of 58.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Dewey 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 Dewey County?

    Dewey County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 5,208 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.