Meade County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 25.4 | 30,954 people · 32nd most distressed in South Dakota
American Default Research

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Meade County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 25.4 — 2951st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within South Dakota, it ranks 32nd of 66 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Meade County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 48.8 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 48.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 63
Rent-to-Income Ratio 45
Business Formation Rate 38
House Price Change (YoY) 9
Housing Cost Burden 37.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 42
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 58
Consumer Credit Distress 19.9
Debt in Collections 12
Medical Debt 22
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 17
Uninsured Rate 60
Subprime Credit Population 16
Structural Poverty 18.9
Unemployment Rate 1
Poverty Rate 7
Income vs. State Median 27
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 40
Transfer Income Dependency 24
Legal Distress 8.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 8

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Meade County
Meade County, SD 25.4 Healthy —
Ziebach County, SD 42.8 Normal +17.3
Pennington County, SD 42.7 Normal +17.2
Butte County, SD 40.2 Normal +14.8
Lawrence County, SD 30.4 Healthy +5.0
Perkins County, SD 23.4 Healthy -2.1
Haakon County, SD 17.1 Healthy -8.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Meade County
Putnam County, OH 25.6 Healthy +0.1
Teton County, WY 25.3 Healthy -0.2
LaGrange County, IN 25.3 Healthy -0.2
Moultrie County, IL 25.2 Healthy -0.2
McPherson County, KS 25.7 Healthy +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Meade 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 Meade 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 Meade County, South Dakota?

    Meade County has a County Distress Index score of 25.4 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,951st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Meade County?

    The primary driver of distress in Meade County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 48.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Meade County compare to neighboring counties?

    Meade County (25.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Ziebach County, SD (42.8); Pennington County, SD (42.7); Butte County, SD (40.2).

  • 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). Meade County's score of 25.4 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Meade 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 Meade County?

    Meade County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 30,954 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.