Brown County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.4 | 37,733 people · 29th most distressed in South Dakota
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Brown County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.4 — 2784th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within South Dakota, it ranks 29th of 66 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Brown County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 54.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 54.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 54
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 77
Homeownership Rate 83
Rent-to-Income Ratio 8
Community Vulnerability 30.8
Uninsured Rate 45
Disability Rate 17
Employment & Wages 28.1
Unemployment Rate 4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 70
Income & Poverty 26.3
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 10
Debt & Delinquency 22.1
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 26
Student Loan Delinquency 6
Auto Loan Delinquency 14
Credit Card Delinquency 33
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Brown County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Brown County
Brown County, SD 32.4 Healthy —
Day County, SD 33.0 Healthy +0.7
McPherson County, SD 31.5 Healthy -0.8
Dickey County, ND 25.8 Healthy -6.6
Faulk County, SD 24.1 Healthy -8.2
Spink County, SD 22.6 Healthy -9.8
Marshall County, SD 22.3 Healthy -10.1
Sargent County, ND 20.5 Healthy -11.9
Edmunds County, SD 15.8 Healthy -16.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Brown County
Shelby County, KY 32.4 Healthy +0.0
Cherokee County, IA 32.4 Healthy +0.0
Buffalo County, WI 32.3 Healthy -0.1
Oneida County, WI 32.2 Healthy -0.1
Franklin County, IN 32.2 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Brown County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Brown County.

CCCS OF LSS - SOUTH DAKOTA
ABERDEEN
605-330-2700 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase

See all counselors in South Dakota →

Find an Attorney

State Bar of South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service 605-224-7554

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Brown County residents at no cost.

East River Legal Services 1-800-952-3015
Dakota Plains Legal Services 1-800-658-2297

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 South Dakota →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Brown County, South Dakota?

    Brown County has a County Distress Index score of 32.4 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,784th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 29th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brown County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brown County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 54.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Brown County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brown County (32.4) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Day County, SD (33.0); McPherson County, SD (31.5); Dickey County, ND (25.8).

  • 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 Brown County?

    Brown County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 37,733 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.