Edmunds County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 15.4 | 4,057 people · 62nd most distressed in South Dakota
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Edmunds County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 15.4 — 3130th 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 62nd of 66 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Edmunds County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 20.7 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 20.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 21
House Price Change (YoY) 93
Consumer Credit Distress 16.1
Debt in Collections 18
Medical Debt 32
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 9
Subprime Credit Population 15
Structural Poverty 15.3
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 22
Income vs. State Median 26
Child Poverty Rate 18
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 7
Legal Distress 12.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 13
Housing Cost Burden 12.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 9
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Edmunds County
Edmunds County, SD 15.4 Healthy —
Brown County, SD 32.6 Healthy +17.2
Walworth County, SD 31.3 Healthy +15.9
Potter County, SD 27.6 Healthy +12.3
McPherson County, SD 20.5 Healthy +5.2
Faulk County, SD 15.9 Healthy +0.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Edmunds County
Gray County, KS 15.3 Healthy -0.0
Boone County, NE 15.5 Healthy +0.2
Hand County, SD 15.2 Healthy -0.2
McLean County, ND 15.1 Healthy -0.3
Bottineau County, ND 15.1 Healthy -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Edmunds 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 Edmunds 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 Edmunds County, South Dakota?

    Edmunds County has a County Distress Index score of 15.4 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,130th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 62nd in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Edmunds County?

    The primary driver of distress in Edmunds County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 20.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Edmunds County compare to neighboring counties?

    Edmunds County (15.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Brown County, SD (32.6); Walworth County, SD (31.3); Potter County, SD (27.6).

  • 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). Edmunds County's score of 15.4 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Edmunds 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 Edmunds County?

    Edmunds County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 4,057 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.