Poweshiek County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.5 | 18,453 people · 50th most distressed in Iowa
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Poweshiek County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.5 — 2729th 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 50th of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Poweshiek County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 54.7 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 54.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 55
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 68
Rent-to-Income Ratio 7
Debt & Delinquency 40.1
Debt in Collections 27
Medical Debt 28
Student Loan Delinquency 31
Auto Loan Delinquency 26
Credit Card Delinquency 68
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 60
Employment & Wages 30.3
Unemployment Rate 27
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 53
Income & Poverty 23.8
Poverty Rate 23
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 15
Community Vulnerability 18.6
Uninsured Rate 5
Disability Rate 32

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Poweshiek County
Poweshiek County, IA 33.5 Healthy —
Tama County, IA 41.3 Normal +7.8
Marshall County, IA 41.0 Normal +7.5
Jasper County, IA 39.1 Normal +5.6
Keokuk County, IA 36.3 Normal +2.9
Mahaska County, IA 29.4 Healthy -4.1
Iowa County, IA 27.7 Healthy -5.8
Benton County, IA 21.9 Healthy -11.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Poweshiek County
Hardin 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 Poweshiek County as a CSV file.

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Iowa State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 515-243-3179

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Poweshiek County has a County Distress Index score of 33.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,729th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 50th in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Poweshiek County?

    The primary driver of distress in Poweshiek County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 54.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Poweshiek County compare to neighboring counties?

    Poweshiek County (33.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Tama County, IA (41.3); Marshall County, IA (41.0); Jasper County, IA (39.1).

  • 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 Poweshiek County?

    Poweshiek County, Iowa has a population of approximately 18,453 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.