Lake County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 28.3 | 11,031 people · 43rd most distressed in South Dakota
American Default Research

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Lake County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 28.3 — 2947th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within South Dakota, it ranks 43rd of 66 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lake County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 41.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 41.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 63
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 65
Rent-to-Income Ratio 9
Debt & Delinquency 29.6
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 24
Student Loan Delinquency 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 46
Credit Card Delinquency 39
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 32
Employment & Wages 27.3
Unemployment Rate 5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Business Formation Rate 66
Community Vulnerability 22.4
Uninsured Rate 5
Disability Rate 40
Income & Poverty 20.8
Poverty Rate 16
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lake County
Lake County, SD 28.3 Healthy —
Miner County, SD 33.9 Healthy +5.6
Moody County, SD 31.8 Healthy +3.5
Minnehaha County, SD 29.7 Healthy +1.4
Kingsbury County, SD 28.9 Healthy +0.6
McCook County, SD 26.9 Healthy -1.3
Brookings County, SD 23.6 Healthy -4.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lake County
Kossuth County, IA 28.3 Healthy -0.0
McKenzie County, ND 28.3 Healthy -0.0
Morton County, ND 28.2 Healthy -0.1
Dickinson County, IA 28.3 Healthy +0.1
Shelby County, IA 28.4 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lake 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 Lake 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 Lake County, South Dakota?

    Lake County has a County Distress Index score of 28.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,947th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 43rd in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lake County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lake County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 41.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Lake County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lake County (28.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Miner County, SD (33.9); Moody County, SD (31.8); Minnehaha County, SD (29.7).

  • 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 Lake County?

    Lake County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 11,031 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.