Polk County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.8 | 505,255 people · 37th most distressed in Iowa
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Polk County, IA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.8 — 2602nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Iowa, it ranks 37th 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. Polk County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 66.3 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 66.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 69
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 60
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 80
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Debt & Delinquency 41.5
Debt in Collections 41
Medical Debt 39
Student Loan Delinquency 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 37
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 58
Income & Poverty 30.4
Poverty Rate 33
Income vs. State Median 21
Child Poverty Rate 37
Employment & Wages 27.1
Unemployment Rate 41
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Business Formation Rate 21
Community Vulnerability 13.5
Uninsured Rate 16
Disability Rate 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Polk County
Polk County, IA 35.8 Normal —
Jasper County, IA 39.1 Normal +3.4
Story County, IA 34.7 Healthy -1.1
Madison County, IA 29.6 Healthy -6.2
Warren County, IA 24.3 Healthy -11.4
Marion County, IA 23.9 Healthy -11.9
Boone County, IA 23.2 Healthy -12.6
Dallas County, IA 19.1 Healthy -16.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Polk County
Norfolk County, MA 35.8 Normal +0.0
Monmouth County, NJ 35.9 Normal +0.2
Placer County, CA 35.5 Normal -0.3
Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT 35.4 Normal -0.3
Washington County, OR 36.1 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Polk County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Polk County.

DES MOINES MUNICIPAL HOUSING AGENCY
Des Moines
515-323-8950 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
GREATER DES MOINES HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Des Moines
515-471-8686 Website
Pre-Purchase
HOME OPPORTUNITIES MADE EASY, INC. (HOME, INC.)
Des Moines
515-243-1277 Website
Home Improvement/RehabHomeless/DisplacementPost-PurchasePre-Purchase

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 Polk 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Polk County has a County Distress Index score of 35.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,602nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 37th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Polk County?

    The primary driver of distress in Polk County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 66.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Polk County compare to neighboring counties?

    Polk County (35.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jasper County, IA (39.1); Story County, IA (34.7); Madison County, IA (29.6).

  • 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 Polk County?

    Polk County, Iowa has a population of approximately 505,255 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.