In Monona County, Iowa, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in six dollars of the typical household's income
In Monona County, 16.3% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 91% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 79% of U.S. counties.
What drives Monona County's score
In Monona County, late payments on loans are the highest-scoring part, at 50.0. Jobs are the lowest part, at 11.0. Unemployment averaged 3.0%, Oct 2025 to Sep 2026, lower than in 89% of U.S. counties.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Monona 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.
Monona 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.
- 50.0 of 100
Late payments
Biggest factorCredit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind6.4% · August 202565th percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind4.1% · August 202533rd percentile
- People with a subprime credit score40.3% · second quarter of 202650th percentile
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- 43.8 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector19.3% · August 202535th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people129.5 · 202551st percentile
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- 30.3 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line11.1% · 202431st percentile
- Children below the poverty line14.1% · 202434th percentile
- People with a disability14.2% · 2020 to 202432nd percentile
- People without health insurance3.9% · 2020 to 20247th percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$68,168 · 202445th percentile
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- 27.1 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 rent17.3% · 2020 to 202445th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income16.3% · fiscal year 20278th percentile
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- 11.0 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year3.0% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202610th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working13.8% · 2020 to 202411th 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 Monona 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 Monona County, 24.4% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Monona County
Iowa
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
Benefit checks' share of income in Monona County rose most from 12.5% in 1974 to 19.1% in 1984, 3.3 points each step.
In Monona County, benefit checks' share of income has tripled since 1969, reaching 28.0% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in twice as much as benefit checks
In Monona County, Iowa, benefit checks' share of income tripled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 28.0%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
The share of households in Monona County getting SNAP food aid had its largest rise, from 12.6% in 2016 to 14.8% in 2017.
The share of households in Monona County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2018 and has since fallen to 8.8%
Low on the chart: 8.3% in 2023. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Monona County, Iowa.
How Monona County has changed
Monona County's population had its largest drop, from 11,203 in 1984 to 10,157 in 1989.
Monona County's population fell by about a third to 8,429, the lowest on the chart
High on the chart: 12,202 in 1979. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Monona County, Iowa.
The number of jobs located in Monona County had its largest rise, from 2,762 in 1990 to 3,451 in 1995.
The number of jobs located in Monona County was at its highest on the chart in 1995 and has since fallen by about a quarter
High on the chart: 3,451 in 1995. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Monona County, Iowa.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 3.6% | 2025 3.0% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 16.7% | 2024 11.1% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $20,625 | 2024 $68,168 |
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Monona County's history
1804
Lewis and Clark stopped at site in 1804 during exploration of Louisiana Purchase. Wikipedia
1940
The county's largest recorded population was the 1940 Census count of 18,238. The 2020 Census counted 8,751, 48% of the peak. Census Bureau
1986
A tornado in July 1986 did $250 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2008
A tornado in June 2008 killed four people. NOAA Storm Events Database
2011
A flood in August 2011 did $5 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2019
A flood in March 2019 did $4.2 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
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Since 1965
20 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Monona County, 12 of them for flooding. FEMA
Monona County beside its neighbors
Of the five counties that border Monona County, in Iowa and Nebraska, three score higher. Of the group, Monona County gets the largest share of its income from benefit checks (28.0%).
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thurston County, NE | 45 | 16.9% | 23.2% |
| Woodbury County, IA | 39 | 13.6% | 23.0% |
| Crawford County, IA | 22 | 11.7% | 23.4% |
| Monona County, IA | 20 | 11.1% | 28.0% |
| Harrison County, IA | 11 | 7.6% | 25.0% |
| Burt County, NE | 9 | 10.0% | 26.9% |
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 Monona County the poorest county in Iowa?
No, Monona County's poverty rate was 11.1% in 2024, 46th 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, Monona County ranks 27th of 99 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Monona 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 Monona 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 Monona County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.