Fall River County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.4 | 7,393 people · 4th most distressed in South Dakota
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Fall River County, SD registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.4 — 1320th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within South Dakota, it ranks 4th of 66 counties. It scores higher 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. Fall River County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 81.4 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 81.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 94
Homeownership Rate 45
Structural Poverty 70.4
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 79
Child Poverty Rate 61
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 86
Economic Vitality 52.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 16
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Consumer Credit Distress 44.1
Debt in Collections 29
Medical Debt 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 42
Uninsured Rate 88
Subprime Credit Population 19
Legal Distress 11.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fall River County
Fall River County, SD 54.4 Elevated —
Dawes County, NE 50.2 Elevated -4.2
Niobrara County, WY 48.1 Normal -6.3
Sioux County, NE 30.4 Healthy -24.0
Custer County, SD 19.9 Healthy -34.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fall River County
Reagan County, TX 54.4 Elevated -0.0
Crowley County, CO 54.5 Elevated +0.1
Runnels County, TX 54.5 Elevated +0.1
Thurston County, NE 54.5 Elevated +0.1
Richmond County, VA 54.5 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Fall River County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Fall River 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 Fall River 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 Fall River County, South Dakota?

    Fall River County has a County Distress Index score of 54.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,320th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fall River County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fall River County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 81.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Fall River County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fall River County (54.4) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Dawes County, NE (50.2); Niobrara County, WY (48.1); Sioux County, NE (30.4).

  • 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). Fall River County's score of 54.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Fall River County's CDI score?

    Fall River 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 Fall River County?

    Fall River County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 7,393 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.