Muscatine County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.7 | 42,218 people · 25th most distressed in Iowa
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Muscatine County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.7 — 2362nd 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 25th of 99 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Muscatine County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 48.1 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 48.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 68
Homeownership Rate 47
Rent-to-Income Ratio 32
Employment & Wages 47.5
Unemployment Rate 52
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 9
Business Formation Rate 81
Debt & Delinquency 43.8
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 39
Student Loan Delinquency 46
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 61
Income & Poverty 41.4
Poverty Rate 35
Income vs. State Median 59
Child Poverty Rate 30
Community Vulnerability 17.8
Uninsured Rate 8
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 Muscatine County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Muscatine County
Muscatine County, IA 39.7 Normal —
Rock Island County, IL 54.2 Elevated +14.5
Scott County, IA 38.1 Normal -1.6
Johnson County, IA 34.0 Healthy -5.8
Louisa County, IA 31.0 Healthy -8.7
Cedar County, IA 28.0 Healthy -11.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Muscatine County
Jackson County, KS 39.7 Normal -0.0
Gage County, NE 39.7 Normal -0.1
Clark County, WI 39.5 Normal -0.2
Lavaca County, TX 40.0 Normal +0.2
Clayton County, IA 39.5 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Muscatine County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Muscatine County.

MUSCATINE MUNICIPAL HOUSING AGENCY
Muscatine
563-264-1554 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Iowa →

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 Muscatine 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 Muscatine County, Iowa?

    Muscatine County has a County Distress Index score of 39.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,362nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Muscatine County?

    The primary driver of distress in Muscatine County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 48.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Muscatine County compare to neighboring counties?

    Muscatine County (39.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Rock Island County, IL (54.2); Scott County, IA (38.1); Johnson County, IA (34.0).

  • 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 Muscatine County?

    Muscatine County, Iowa has a population of approximately 42,218 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.