Turner County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 19.0 | 9,027 people · 53rd most distressed in South Dakota
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Turner County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 19.0 — 3091st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within South Dakota, it ranks 53rd of 66 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Turner County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 56.4 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 56.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 79
Rent-to-Income Ratio 22
Business Formation Rate 48
House Price Change (YoY) 62
Housing Cost Burden 21.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 23
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 50
Homeownership Rate 24
Consumer Credit Distress 14.0
Debt in Collections 6
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Uninsured Rate 37
Subprime Credit Population 11
Legal Distress 11.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 12
Structural Poverty 10.4
Unemployment Rate 6
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 25
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 7
Transfer Income Dependency 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Turner County
Turner County, SD 19.0 Healthy —
Minnehaha County, SD 35.5 Normal +16.6
Clay County, SD 33.1 Healthy +14.2
Yankton County, SD 23.9 Healthy +4.9
McCook County, SD 22.5 Healthy +3.5
Lincoln County, SD 20.3 Healthy +1.3
Hutchinson County, SD 14.4 Healthy -4.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Turner County
Ida County, IA 19.2 Healthy +0.2
Nelson County, ND 19.2 Healthy +0.3
Denali Borough, AK 19.3 Healthy +0.3
Sargent County, ND 19.3 Healthy +0.4
Cuming County, NE 19.4 Healthy +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Turner 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 Turner 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 Turner County, South Dakota?

    Turner County has a County Distress Index score of 19.0 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,091st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Turner County?

    The primary driver of distress in Turner County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 56.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Turner County compare to neighboring counties?

    Turner County (19.0) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Minnehaha County, SD (35.5); Clay County, SD (33.1); Yankton County, SD (23.9).

  • 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). Turner County's score of 19.0 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Turner 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 Turner County?

    Turner County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 9,027 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.