Spink County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 17.6 | 6,166 people · 55th most distressed in South Dakota
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Spink County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 17.6 — 3109th 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 55th 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. Spink County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 27.0 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 27.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Rent-to-Income Ratio 6
Business Formation Rate 46
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Structural Poverty 25.1
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 26
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 22
Disability Rate 12
Transfer Income Dependency 29
Legal Distress 17.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17
Consumer Credit Distress 15.3
Debt in Collections 14
Medical Debt 23
Auto Loan Delinquency 10
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 47
Subprime Credit Population 12
Housing Cost Burden 14.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 8
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 8
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 7
Homeownership Rate 46

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Spink County
Spink County, SD 17.6 Healthy —
Beadle County, SD 41.2 Normal +23.6
Brown County, SD 32.6 Healthy +15.0
Day County, SD 23.7 Healthy +6.1
Clark County, SD 21.3 Healthy +3.7
Faulk County, SD 15.9 Healthy -1.7
Hand County, SD 15.2 Healthy -2.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Spink County
Burke County, ND 17.6 Healthy -0.0
Stillwater County, MT 17.4 Healthy -0.2
Campbell County, SD 17.4 Healthy -0.2
Cedar County, NE 17.3 Healthy -0.3
Hamilton County, NE 17.9 Healthy +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Spink 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 Spink 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 Spink County, South Dakota?

    Spink County has a County Distress Index score of 17.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,109th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 55th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Spink County?

    The primary driver of distress in Spink County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 27.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Spink County compare to neighboring counties?

    Spink County (17.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Beadle County, SD (41.2); Brown County, SD (32.6); Day County, SD (23.7).

  • 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 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). Spink County's score of 17.6 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Spink 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 Spink County?

    Spink County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 6,166 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.