In Cedar County, Iowa, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in seven dollars of the typical household's income

In Cedar 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.

Photo of Ross Kilburn
Data from
County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026
73rd
of 99 counties in Iowa
5score /100

Less distressed than 94% of U.S. counties.

What drives Cedar County's score

In Cedar County, housing costs are the highest-scoring part, at 41.2. Income and the safety net is the lowest part, at 10.7. About one in 13 people (7.9%, 2024) lives below the poverty line, a lower share than in 92% of U.S. counties.

The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Cedar 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.

Even so, Cedar County is worse off than most counties on renters paying half their income or more in rent (22.9%, 2020 to 2024).

A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.

  • Housing costs

    Biggest factor
    41.2 of 100

    Renters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027

    • Renters paying half their income or more in rent
      22.9% · 2020 to 2024
      77th percentile
    • Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income
      13.7% · fiscal year 2027
      5th or lower percentile

  • Collections and bankruptcy

    25.5 of 100

    Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025

    • People with unpaid debt sent to a collector
      14.2% · August 2025
      15th percentile
    • Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people
      98.3 · 2025
      35th percentile

  • Late payments

    11.7 of 100

    Credit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026

    • People with a credit card behind
      3.0% · August 2025
      10th percentile
    • People with a car or retail loan behind
      1.7% · August 2025
      5th or lower percentile
    • People with a subprime credit score
      32.0% · second quarter of 2026
      19th percentile

  • Jobs

    10.7 of 100

    Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey

    • Unemployment rate, average over the latest year
      3.0% · Oct 2025 to Sep 2026
      13th percentile
    • Adults 25 to 54 not working
      12.7% · 2020 to 2024
      7th percentile

  • Income and safety net

    10.7 of 100

    Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey

    • People below the poverty line
      7.9% · 2024
      7th percentile
    • Children below the poverty line
      8.6% · 2024
      8th percentile
    • People with a disability
      11.7% · 2020 to 2024
      12th percentile
    • People without health insurance
      4.2% · 2020 to 2024
      10th percentile
    • Median household income (lower income, longer bar)
      $84,970 · 2024
      14th percentile

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 Cedar 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 Cedar County, 21.0% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.

Cents of every dollar of income, 2024

Cedar County

63 19 18

Iowa

61 19 20

United States

61 21 18
  • Pay from work
  • Investments and rent
  • Benefit checks
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4), shares of all personal income received by residents, 2024. Pay from work is total income minus the other two, so the three add to 100.

In Cedar County, benefit checks' share of income has more than doubled since 1969, reaching 18.1% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in more than three times as much as benefit checks

In Cedar County, Iowa, benefit checks' share of income more than doubled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 18.1%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.

  • Benefit checks
  • Pay from work
0%40%80% 196919741979198419891994199920042009201420192024 0%40%80% 196919791989199920092024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4), shares of all personal income received by residents, Cedar County, Iowa American Default Research · americandefault.org/counties/iowa/cedar-county-ia/
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The share of households in Cedar County getting SNAP food aid had its largest drop, from 8.9% in 2015 to 7.2% in 2016.

The share of households in Cedar County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2014 and has since fallen by about a third

Low on the chart: 4.7% in 2019. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Cedar County, Iowa.

0%5%10% 4.8%6.5% 2009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 0%5%10% 4.8%6.5% 20092011201320152017201920212024
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates American Default Research · americandefault.org/counties/iowa/cedar-county-ia/
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How Cedar County has changed

Cedar County's population rose 3% from 1969 to 2024, with most of the change between 1974 and 1979

High on the chart: 18,839 in 1979. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Cedar County, Iowa.

010,00020,000 17,69818,231 196919741979198419891994199920042009201420192024 010,00020,000 17,69818,231 196919791989199920092024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts American Default Research · americandefault.org/counties/iowa/cedar-county-ia/
Download data (CSV)

The number of jobs located in Cedar County fell most sharply after its 2015 high, from 5,511 in 2015 to 5,014 in 2020.

The number of jobs located in Cedar County rose 10% from 1990 to 2025

High on the chart: 5,511 in 2015. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Cedar County, Iowa.

03,0006,000 4,7505,205 19901995200020052010201520202025 03,0006,000 4,7505,205 19901995200020052010201520202025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages American Default Research · americandefault.org/counties/iowa/cedar-county-ia/
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MeasureThenNowSource
Unemployment rateBLS LAUS 1990 2.8% 2025 3.3% BLS LAUS
People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE 1989 8.9% 2024 7.9% Census SAIPE
Median household incomeCensus SAIPE 1989 $27,670 2024 $84,970 Census SAIPE

The table uses 3.3% for 2025; the score uses 3.0% 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 Cedar County's history

  1. 1837

    Formed on December 21, 1837, from sections of Dubuque County. Wikipedia

  2. 1900

    The county's largest recorded population was the 1900 Census count of 19,371. The 2020 Census counted 18,505, 96% of the peak. Census Bureau

  3. 1931

    Iowa Cow War: violent disputes over cattle tuberculosis testing. Wikipedia

  4. 1965

    A tornado in April 1965 did $2.5 million in property damage and killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database

  5. 1988

    A tornado in May 1988 did $2.5 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database

  6. 2003

    A tornado in July 2003 did $1 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database

  7. 2008

    A flood in June 2008 did $3.5 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database

  8. Since 1974

    18 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Cedar County, 12 of them for flooding. FEMA

Cedar County beside its neighbors

All six counties that border Cedar County score higher than it does. For the share of income from benefit checks, Cedar County ranks 6th of the seven; Clinton County is highest, at 27.5%.

CountyDistress scoreScoreRank in its state Poverty rateBenefit checks, share of incomeBenefit checks
Clinton County, IA 40 8th of 99 13.0% 27.5%
Muscatine County, IA 31 14th of 99 13.3% 22.7%
Scott County, IA 30 15th of 99 11.7% 19.6%
Linn County, IA 15 41st of 99 9.6% 19.1%
Jones County, IA 11 53rd of 99 12.0% 22.4%
Johnson County, IA 10 56th of 99 17.7% 14.5%
Cedar County, IA 5 73rd of 99 7.9% 18.1%

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 Cedar County the poorest county in Iowa?

No, Cedar County's poverty rate was 7.9% in 2024, 88th 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, Cedar County ranks 73rd of 99 in the state.

If you're behind on your mortgage in Cedar 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.

Iowa foreclosure guide →

The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.

Download the CSV for Cedar County · Every U.S. county (CSV)

Cite this Cedar County, Iowa, scores 5 on the County Distress Index (data through Sep 2026): less distressed than 94% of U.S. counties · American Default Research · americandefault.org/counties/iowa/cedar-county-ia/

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 Cedar County comes from, 2024.
  • History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.