Hardin County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.5 | 16,463 people · 49th most distressed in Iowa
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Hardin County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.5 — 2728th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Iowa, it ranks 49th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Hardin County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 38.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 38.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 56
Rent-to-Income Ratio 7
Employment & Wages 37.9
Unemployment Rate 30
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 10
Business Formation Rate 73
Income & Poverty 35.4
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 29
Debt & Delinquency 30.5
Debt in Collections 27
Medical Debt 33
Student Loan Delinquency 5
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 46
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 18
Community Vulnerability 25.2
Uninsured Rate 16
Disability Rate 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Hardin County
Hardin County, IA 33.5 Healthy —
Marshall County, IA 41.0 Normal +7.5
Story County, IA 34.7 Healthy +1.2
Franklin County, IA 34.3 Healthy +0.9
Wright County, IA 30.2 Healthy -3.3
Hamilton County, IA 26.0 Healthy -7.5
Butler County, IA 22.1 Healthy -11.4
Grundy County, IA 18.4 Healthy -15.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Hardin County
Poweshiek County, IA 33.5 Healthy 0.0
Winnebago County, IA 33.5 Healthy +0.0
Cerro Gordo County, IA 33.5 Healthy -0.0
Park County, WY 33.5 Healthy +0.1
Decatur County, IN 33.4 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hardin County

Find an Attorney

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 Hardin County residents at no cost.

Iowa Legal Aid 1-800-532-1275

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Iowa →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Hardin County has a County Distress Index score of 33.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,728th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 49th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hardin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hardin County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 38.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Hardin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hardin County (33.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Marshall County, IA (41.0); Story County, IA (34.7); Franklin County, IA (34.3).

  • 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 Hardin County?

    Hardin County, Iowa has a population of approximately 16,463 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.