Jackson County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.3 | 2,776 people · 5th most distressed in South Dakota
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Jackson County, SD registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.3 — 1501st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within South Dakota, it ranks 5th of 66 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Jackson County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 76.0 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 76.0
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 80
Housing Cost Burden 72.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 52
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 91
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 92
Economic Vitality 69.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Rent-to-Income Ratio 69
Business Formation Rate 88
House Price Change (YoY) 54
Consumer Credit Distress 36.9
Debt in Collections 23
Medical Debt 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 19
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 63
Legal Distress 12.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Jackson County, SD 51.3 Elevated —
Todd County, SD 59.6 Elevated +8.3
Bennett County, SD 44.2 Normal -7.1
Pennington County, SD 42.7 Normal -8.6
Mellette County, SD 42.0 Normal -9.3
Jones County, SD 26.1 Healthy -25.2
Haakon County, SD 17.1 Healthy -34.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson County
Dallam County, TX 51.3 Elevated -0.0
Benton County, IN 51.3 Elevated +0.0
Musselshell County, MT 51.2 Elevated -0.1
Lynn County, TX 51.1 Elevated -0.1
Cottle County, TX 51.6 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson 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 Jackson County residents at no cost.

East River Legal Services 1-800-952-3015
Dakota Plains Legal Services 1-800-658-2297

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in South Dakota →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Jackson County, South Dakota?

    Jackson County has a County Distress Index score of 51.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,501st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 76.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Jackson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson County (51.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Todd County, SD (59.6); Bennett County, SD (44.2); 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 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). Jackson County's score of 51.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Jackson 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 Jackson County?

    Jackson County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 2,776 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.