Brule County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.0 | 5,311 people · 27th most distressed in South Dakota
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Brule County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.0 — 2756th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where health coverage gaps and disability rates are moderately elevated. Within South Dakota, it ranks 27th of 66 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Brule County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 50.6 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 50.6
Uninsured Rate 45
Disability Rate 56
Employment & Wages 40.6
Unemployment Rate 5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 51
Income & Poverty 39.1
Poverty Rate 42
Income vs. State Median 42
Child Poverty Rate 33
Housing Cost Burden 24.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 8
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 28
Homeownership Rate 60
Rent-to-Income Ratio 6
Debt & Delinquency 10.3
Debt in Collections 6
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 14
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Brule County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Brule County
Brule County, SD 33.0 Healthy —
Buffalo County, SD 61.9 Elevated +28.9
Lyman County, SD 54.4 Elevated +21.3
Charles Mix County, SD 44.9 Normal +11.8
Jerauld County, SD 33.7 Healthy +0.6
Aurora County, SD 26.3 Healthy -6.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Brule County
Day County, SD 33.0 Healthy 0.0
Bath County, VA 33.1 Healthy +0.0
Adams County, ND 33.1 Healthy +0.1
Clark County, KS 33.2 Healthy +0.2
Warren County, IN 33.2 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Brule County

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 Brule County residents at no cost.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Brule County has a County Distress Index score of 33.0 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,756th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Brule County?

    The primary driver of distress in Brule County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 50.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Brule County compare to neighboring counties?

    Brule County (33.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Buffalo County, SD (61.9); Lyman County, SD (54.4); Charles Mix County, SD (44.9).

  • 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 Brule County?

    Brule County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 5,311 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.