Miner County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 24.5 | 2,280 people · 34th most distressed in South Dakota
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Miner County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 24.5 — 2978th 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 34th of 66 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Miner County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 40.1 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 40.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 6
Business Formation Rate 49
House Price Change (YoY) 48
Structural Poverty 31.3
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 12
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 21
Legal Distress 29.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30
Consumer Credit Distress 25.1
Debt in Collections 19
Medical Debt 27
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 24
Uninsured Rate 60
Subprime Credit Population 24
Housing Cost Burden 11.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Miner County
Miner County, SD 24.5 Healthy —
Lake County, SD 29.5 Healthy +4.9
Sanborn County, SD 28.0 Healthy +3.5
Kingsbury County, SD 24.6 Healthy +0.0
McCook County, SD 22.5 Healthy -2.1
Hanson County, SD 11.9 Healthy -12.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Miner County
Oneida County, ID 24.5 Healthy 0.0
Cook County, MN 24.5 Healthy 0.0
Kingsbury County, SD 24.6 Healthy +0.0
Pierce County, NE 24.5 Healthy -0.0
Florence County, WI 24.4 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Miner 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 Miner 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 Miner County, South Dakota?

    Miner County has a County Distress Index score of 24.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,978th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Miner County?

    The primary driver of distress in Miner County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 40.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Miner County compare to neighboring counties?

    Miner County (24.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Lake County, SD (29.5); Sanborn County, SD (28.0); Kingsbury County, SD (24.6).

  • 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). Miner County's score of 24.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Miner 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 Miner County?

    Miner County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 2,280 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.