Rock County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 24.8 | 9,551 people · 85th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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Rock County, MN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 24.8 — 3038th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Minnesota, it ranks 85th of 87 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Rock County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 38.9 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 38.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 35
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 7
Employment & Wages 31.4
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 18
Business Formation Rate 53
Income & Poverty 25.5
Poverty Rate 19
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 10
Debt & Delinquency 15.7
Debt in Collections 7
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 44
Community Vulnerability 12.7
Uninsured Rate 16
Disability Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Rock County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Rock County
Rock County, MN 24.8 Healthy —
Nobles County, MN 43.2 Normal +18.3
Pipestone County, MN 36.9 Normal +12.0
Moody County, SD 31.8 Healthy +7.0
Minnehaha County, SD 29.7 Healthy +4.9
Murray County, MN 28.5 Healthy +3.7
Lyon County, IA 16.9 Healthy -7.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Rock County
Phelps County, NE 24.6 Healthy -0.2
Crook County, WY 24.5 Healthy -0.3
Turner County, SD 24.5 Healthy -0.3
Foster County, ND 25.2 Healthy +0.3
Dixon County, NE 24.2 Healthy -0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rock County

Find an Attorney

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 612-278-6333

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Rock County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis 612-334-5970
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid 612-332-1441
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services 1-888-575-2954
Central Minnesota Legal Services, Inc. (612) 334-5970
Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (800) 933-1112
Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota Corporation (800) 450-8585

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Rock County, Minnesota?

    Rock County has a County Distress Index score of 24.8 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,038th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 85th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rock County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rock County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 38.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Rock County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rock County (24.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Nobles County, MN (43.2); Pipestone County, MN (36.9); Moody County, SD (31.8).

  • 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 Rock County?

    Rock County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 9,551 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.