Clinton County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.9 | 46,158 people · 11th most distressed in Iowa
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Clinton County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.9 — 1838th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Iowa, it ranks 11th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Clinton County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 54.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 54.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 66
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 57
Rent-to-Income Ratio 12
Employment & Wages 53.6
Unemployment Rate 67
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 18
Business Formation Rate 76
Debt & Delinquency 51.8
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 59
Student Loan Delinquency 61
Auto Loan Delinquency 32
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Income & Poverty 51.7
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 57
Child Poverty Rate 51
Community Vulnerability 22.9
Uninsured Rate 18
Disability Rate 28

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Clinton County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Clinton County
Clinton County, IA 46.9 Normal —
Rock Island County, IL 54.2 Elevated +7.3
Carroll County, IL 44.3 Normal -2.6
Whiteside County, IL 44.3 Normal -2.6
Scott County, IA 38.1 Normal -8.8
Jackson County, IA 32.7 Healthy -14.2
Jones County, IA 28.9 Healthy -18.0
Cedar County, IA 28.0 Healthy -18.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Clinton County
Fayette County, TN 46.9 Normal +0.0
Lancaster County, VA 46.9 Normal +0.0
Presque Isle County, MI 47.0 Normal +0.1
Larue County, KY 46.8 Normal -0.1
Osage County, KS 47.0 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clinton County

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Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 515-243-3179

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Clinton County residents at no cost.

Iowa Legal Aid 1-800-532-1275

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Clinton County, Iowa?

    Clinton County has a County Distress Index score of 46.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,838th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 11th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clinton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clinton County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 54.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Clinton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clinton County (46.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Rock Island County, IL (54.2); Carroll County, IL (44.3); Whiteside County, IL (44.3).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Clinton County?

    Clinton County, Iowa has a population of approximately 46,158 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.