Sioux County, Iowa

County Distress Index: Healthy · 21.0 | 36,246 people · 93rd most distressed in Iowa
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Sioux County, IA ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 21.0 — 3104th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Iowa, it ranks 93rd of 99 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Sioux County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 40.8 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 40.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 41
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 65
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 30
Rent-to-Income Ratio 1
Employment & Wages 35.4
Unemployment Rate 4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 13
Business Formation Rate 89
Community Vulnerability 14.3
Uninsured Rate 26
Disability Rate 3
Debt & Delinquency 8.2
Debt in Collections 1
Medical Debt 28
Student Loan Delinquency 12
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 1
Income & Poverty 6.3
Poverty Rate 4
Income vs. State Median 14
Child Poverty Rate 2

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Sioux County
Sioux County, IA 21.0 Healthy —
Osceola County, IA 33.2 Healthy +12.2
Cherokee County, IA 32.4 Healthy +11.4
O'Brien County, IA 27.3 Healthy +6.3
Union County, SD 19.6 Healthy -1.4
Plymouth County, IA 18.5 Healthy -2.5
Lyon County, IA 16.9 Healthy -4.1
Lincoln County, SD 15.2 Healthy -5.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Sioux County
Summit County, UT 21.1 Healthy +0.1
Iowa County, WI 20.8 Healthy -0.2
Botetourt County, VA 20.8 Healthy -0.3
Bremer County, IA 20.6 Healthy -0.4
Mercer County, OH 21.8 Healthy +0.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sioux County

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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

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Legal aid organizations serving Sioux 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 Sioux County, Iowa?

    Sioux County has a County Distress Index score of 21.0 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,104th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 93rd in Iowa out of 99 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sioux County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sioux County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 40.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Sioux County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sioux County (21.0) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Osceola County, IA (33.2); Cherokee County, IA (32.4); O'Brien County, IA (27.3).

  • 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 Sioux County?

    Sioux County, Iowa has a population of approximately 36,246 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.