Pennington County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.1 | 115,903 people · 17th most distressed in South Dakota
American Default Research

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Pennington County, SD falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.1 — 2070th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within South Dakota, it ranks 17th of 66 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Pennington County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 70.6 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 70.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 53
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 96
Homeownership Rate 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Community Vulnerability 54.5
Uninsured Rate 68
Disability Rate 41
Income & Poverty 34.3
Poverty Rate 34
Income vs. State Median 27
Child Poverty Rate 42
Employment & Wages 31.5
Unemployment Rate 3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 20
Debt & Delinquency 29.4
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 24
Student Loan Delinquency 26
Auto Loan Delinquency 41
Credit Card Delinquency 30
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Pennington County
Pennington County, SD 44.1 Normal —
Jackson County, SD 62.3 Elevated +18.2
Lawrence County, SD 38.2 Normal -5.9
Weston County, WY 36.5 Normal -7.5
Custer County, SD 33.6 Healthy -10.5
Meade County, SD 32.1 Healthy -12.0
Haakon County, SD 25.6 Healthy -18.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Pennington County
Barnstable County, MA 44.1 Normal 0.0
Santa Rosa County, FL 44.1 Normal +0.0
Rogers County, OK 44.0 Normal -0.0
Eddy County, NM 44.0 Normal -0.1
Beaver County, PA 44.2 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pennington County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Pennington County.

BLACK HILLS CHILDREN'S RANCH, INC. - PIONEER CREDIT COUNSELING
RAPID CITY
605-348-1608 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/Displacement
CONSUMER CREDIT COUNSELING SERVICE OF THE BLACK HILLS
Rapid City
605-348-4550 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 Pennington 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Pennington County has a County Distress Index score of 44.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,070th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pennington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pennington County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 70.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Pennington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pennington County (44.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Jackson County, SD (62.3); Lawrence County, SD (38.2); Weston County, WY (36.5).

  • 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 Pennington County?

    Pennington County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 115,903 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.