Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.2 | 13,434 people · 1st most distressed in South Dakota
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Oglala Lakota County, SD registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.2 — 820th 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 1st of 66 counties. Its strongest area is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are below the national average.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Oglala Lakota County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 81.3 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 81.3
Unemployment Rate 92
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 72.8
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 16
Economic Vitality 50.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 13
Rent-to-Income Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 54
Housing Cost Burden 48.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 18
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 95
Legal Distress 12.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Oglala Lakota County
Hardin County, TN 62.1 Elevated -0.1
Appling County, GA 62.3 Elevated +0.1
Randolph County, AR 62.3 Elevated +0.1
Unicoi County, TN 62.3 Elevated +0.1
Ward County, TX 62.0 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Oglala Lakota County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Oglala Lakota 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 Oglala Lakota 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 Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota?

    Oglala Lakota County has a County Distress Index score of 62.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 820th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Oglala Lakota County?

    The primary driver of distress in Oglala Lakota County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 81.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Oglala Lakota County compare to neighboring counties?

    Neighbor comparison data is not available for Oglala Lakota County.

  • 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). Oglala Lakota County's score of 62.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Oglala Lakota County's CDI score?

    Oglala Lakota 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 Oglala Lakota County?

    Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 13,434 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.