In Louisa County, Iowa, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in seven dollars of the typical household's income
In Louisa County, 15.3% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 96% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 84% of U.S. counties.
What drives Louisa County's score
In Louisa County, late payments on loans are the highest-scoring part, at 39.4. Housing costs are the lowest part, at 10.4.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Louisa 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.
Louisa 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.
- 39.4 of 100
Late payments
Biggest factorCredit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind5.4% · August 202549th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind3.9% · August 202530th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score37.4% · second quarter of 202638th percentile
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- 36.3 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector17.7% · August 202529th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people114.1 · 202543rd percentile
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- 30.5 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line9.5% · 202418th percentile
- Children below the poverty line13.1% · 202428th percentile
- People with a disability16.6% · 2020 to 202455th percentile
- People without health insurance4.8% · 2020 to 202416th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$72,753 · 202433rd percentile
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- 27.1 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year3.5% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202628th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working16.7% · 2020 to 202425th percentile
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- 10.4 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 rent11.2% · 2020 to 202415th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income15.3% · fiscal year 20275th or lower 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 Louisa 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 Louisa County, 20.1% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Louisa County
Iowa
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Louisa County, benefit checks' share of income has tripled since 1969, reaching 24.2% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in more than twice as much as benefit checks
In Louisa County, Iowa, benefit checks' share of income tripled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 24.2%; 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 Louisa County getting SNAP food aid nearly doubled to 13.7%, the highest on the chart
Biggest rise: 2020 to 2021, reaching 11.3%. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Louisa County, Iowa.
How Louisa County has changed
Louisa County's population had its largest rise, from 11,236 in 1974 to 12,103 in 1979.
Louisa County's population was at its highest on the chart in 1999 and is down 13% since
High on the chart: 12,174 in 1999. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Louisa County, Iowa.
The number of jobs located in Louisa County fell most sharply on the way to its 2000 low, from 3,958 in 1995 to 3,496 in 2000.
The number of jobs located in Louisa County rose 5% from 1990 to 2025
High on the chart: 3,958 in 1995. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Louisa County, Iowa.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 4.5% | 2025 3.8% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 11.5% | 2024 9.5% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $26,577 | 2024 $72,753 |
The table uses 3.8% for 2025; the score uses 3.5% 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 Louisa County's history
1900
The county's largest recorded population was the 1900 Census count of 13,516. The 2020 Census counted 10,837, 80% of the peak. Census Bureau
1988
A tornado in May 1988 did $25 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
1998
A thunderstorm in June 1998 did $1 million in property damage and killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2003
Hail in April 2003 did $4 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2008
A flood in June 2008 did $19 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
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Since 1965
20 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Louisa County, 16 of them for flooding. FEMA
Louisa County beside its neighbors
Of the seven counties that border Louisa County, in Iowa and Illinois, four score higher. For the share of income from benefit checks, Louisa County ranks 5th of the eight; Henry County is highest, at 26.8%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines County, IA | 57 | 14.0% | 25.5% |
| Rock Island County, IL | 53 | 12.6% | 24.7% |
| Muscatine County, IA | 31 | 13.3% | 22.7% |
| Henry County, IA | 17 | 12.9% | 26.8% |
| Louisa County, IA | 15 | 9.5% | 24.2% |
| Mercer County, IL | 14 | 9.1% | 24.4% |
| Johnson County, IA | 10 | 17.7% | 14.5% |
| Washington County, IA | 4 | 9.0% | 16.2% |
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 Louisa County the poorest county in Iowa?
No, Louisa County's poverty rate was 9.5% in 2024, 72nd 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, Louisa County ranks 40th of 99 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Louisa 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 Louisa 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 Louisa County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.