Sully County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 16.2 | 1,494 people · 59th most distressed in South Dakota
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Sully County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 16.2 — 3124th 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 59th of 66 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sully County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 21.2 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 21.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 58
House Price Change (YoY) 54
Legal Distress 18.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18
Consumer Credit Distress 16.9
Debt in Collections 12
Medical Debt 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 19
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 5
Housing Cost Burden 15.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 20
Homeownership Rate 41
Structural Poverty 9.9
Unemployment Rate 5
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 27
Child Poverty Rate 5
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sully County
Sully County, SD 16.2 Healthy —
Dewey County, SD 58.2 Elevated +42.0
Stanley County, SD 32.8 Healthy +16.6
Potter County, SD 27.6 Healthy +11.4
Hughes County, SD 22.9 Healthy +6.8
Hyde County, SD 20.2 Healthy +4.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sully County
Douglas County, SD 16.2 Healthy +0.0
Renville County, ND 16.4 Healthy +0.3
Faulk County, SD 15.9 Healthy -0.3
Bowman County, ND 15.9 Healthy -0.3
Deuel County, SD 15.7 Healthy -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sully 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 Sully 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 Sully County, South Dakota?

    Sully County has a County Distress Index score of 16.2 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,124th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 59th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sully County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sully County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 21.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Sully County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sully County (16.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Dewey County, SD (58.2); Stanley County, SD (32.8); Potter County, SD (27.6).

  • 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). Sully County's score of 16.2 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Sully 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 Sully County?

    Sully County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 1,494 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.