In Benton County, Iowa, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in seven dollars of the typical household's income
In Benton County, 13.7% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 99% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 96% of U.S. counties.
What drives Benton County's score
In Benton County, collections and bankruptcy is the highest-scoring part, at 36.5. Income and the safety net is the lowest part, at 7.3. About one in 33 people (3.0%, 2020 to 2024) has no health insurance, a lower share than in 97% of U.S. counties.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Benton County: jobs, late payments on loans, income and the safety net, collections and bankruptcy, and housing costs. Each part is scored from 0 to 100, and a higher score means worse off than other counties.
Benton County isn't among the worst-off quarter of U.S. counties on any measure.
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 36.5 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Biggest factorCredit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector15.8% · August 202522nd percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people127.9 · 202550th percentile
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- 23.9 of 100
Housing costs
Renters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027
- Renters paying half their income or more in rent17.6% · 2020 to 202447th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income13.7% · fiscal year 20270th percentile
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- 10.3 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year3.1% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202616th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working11.3% · 2020 to 20244th percentile
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- 10.1 of 100
Late payments
Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind2.3% · August 20255th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind2.8% · August 202511th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score30.0% · second quarter of 202613th percentile
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- 7.3 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line7.2% · 20244th percentile
- Children below the poverty line8.1% · 20246th percentile
- People with a disability11.2% · 2020 to 20249th percentile
- People without health insurance3.0% · 2020 to 20242nd percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$85,848 · 202413th percentile
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Sources: Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents and Census income; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. County Distress Index by American Default Research, from data through Sep 2026.
Where the money in Benton County comes from
Benefit checks are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid paid on people's behalf, veterans' benefits, and food and income support, so a high share usually means an older population, low pay, or both. In Benton County, 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Benton County
Iowa
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Benton County, benefit checks' share of income has more than doubled since 1969, reaching 19.4% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in more than three times as much as benefit checks
In Benton County, Iowa, benefit checks' share of income more than doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 19.4%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
SNAP food aid is one of the benefit checks counted in the income totals above.
The share of households in Benton County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2013 and has since fallen by about half
Biggest drop: 2017 to 2018, reaching 7.3%. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Benton County, Iowa.
How Benton County has changed
Benton County's population rose 14% from 1969 to 2024, with most of the change between 1994 and 1999
High on the chart: 26,181 in 2004. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Benton County, Iowa.
The jobs count covers work located in the county; the population count covers residents.
The number of jobs located in Benton County rose 16% from 1990 to 2025, reaching its highest on the chart, with most of the change between 1995 and 2000
High on the chart: 6,040 in 2025. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Benton County, Iowa.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 5.3% | 2025 3.3% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 10.1% | 2024 7.2% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $26,660 | 2024 $85,848 |
The table uses 3.3% for 2025; the score uses 3.1% for the latest year (Oct 2025 to Sep 2026), both from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Benton County's history
1837
Formed December 21, 1837 from sections of Dubuque County. Wikipedia
1965
A tornado in August 1965 did $2.5 million in property damage and killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2003
Hail in May 2003 did $1 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2008
A flood in June 2008 did $10 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2010
The county's largest recorded population was the 2010 Census count of 26,076. The 2020 Census counted 25,575, 98% of the peak. Census Bureau
2021
A thunderstorm in December 2021 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
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Since 1965
18 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Benton County, 13 of them for flooding. FEMA
Benton County beside its neighbors
All five counties that border Benton County score higher than it does. For the share of income from benefit checks, Benton County ranks 5th of the six; Tama County is highest, at 24.6%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hawk County, IA | 39 | 14.2% | 24.2% |
| Tama County, IA | 19 | 11.6% | 24.6% |
| Linn County, IA | 15 | 9.6% | 19.1% |
| Buchanan County, IA | 4 | 10.5% | 21.3% |
| Iowa County, IA | 4 | 7.1% | 21.1% |
| Benton County, IA | 3 | 7.2% | 19.4% |
Distress score: American Default Research, County Distress Index, data through Sep 2026; each county scored against all 3,144. Poverty rate: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. Benefit checks: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.
Is Benton County the poorest county in Iowa?
No, Benton County's poverty rate was 7.2% in 2024, 93rd highest of 99 in Iowa (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By that measure the poorest county in the state is Decatur County, at 18.1%. On our distress index, which counts more than poverty, Benton County ranks 83rd of 99 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Benton County
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.
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Iowa Legal Aid
Legal aid
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HUD-approved housing counselors
Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.
The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.
Download the CSV for Benton County · Every U.S. county (CSV)
Sources and method
- American Default Research · County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026, built from Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; Census Bureau, American Community Survey; HUD Fair Market Rents and Census income; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it. Our methodology
- Urban Institute · Debt in America Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0.
- Rent on a two-bedroom and household income The rent share compares HUD fair market rent for fiscal year 2027 with Census Bureau median household income for 2024. The page calls this the typical household's income.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4) · income shares Where the money in Benton County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.