Hand County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 15.2 | 3,107 people · 63rd most distressed in South Dakota
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Hand County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 15.2 — 3133rd 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 63rd of 66 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hand County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 36.0 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 36.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 6
Business Formation Rate 28
House Price Change (YoY) 54
Housing Cost Burden 19.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 19
Homeownership Rate 86
Structural Poverty 17.9
Unemployment Rate 5
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 8
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 9
Legal Distress 12.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 13
Consumer Credit Distress 8.8
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 11
Uninsured Rate 9
Subprime Credit Population 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hand County
Hand County, SD 15.2 Healthy —
Buffalo County, SD 46.0 Normal +30.8
Beadle County, SD 41.2 Normal +26.1
Jerauld County, SD 23.2 Healthy +8.0
Hyde County, SD 20.2 Healthy +5.0
Spink County, SD 17.6 Healthy +2.4
Faulk County, SD 15.9 Healthy +0.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hand County
McLean County, ND 15.1 Healthy -0.1
Bottineau County, ND 15.1 Healthy -0.1
Gray County, KS 15.3 Healthy +0.2
Edmunds County, SD 15.4 Healthy +0.2
Boone County, NE 15.5 Healthy +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hand 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 Hand 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 Hand County, South Dakota?

    Hand County has a County Distress Index score of 15.2 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,133rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 63rd in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hand County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hand County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 36.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Hand County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hand County (15.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Buffalo County, SD (46.0); Beadle County, SD (41.2); Jerauld County, SD (23.2).

  • 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). Hand County's score of 15.2 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Hand 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 Hand County?

    Hand County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 3,107 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.