Stanley County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.9 | 3,043 people · 32nd most distressed in South Dakota
American Default Research

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Stanley County, SD ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.9 — 2805th 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 32nd of 66 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Stanley County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 53.9 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 53.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 87
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Employment & Wages 51.1
Unemployment Rate 5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 61
Business Formation Rate 87
Community Vulnerability 25.9
Uninsured Rate 5
Disability Rate 46
Debt & Delinquency 18.8
Debt in Collections 20
Medical Debt 21
Student Loan Delinquency 14
Auto Loan Delinquency 18
Credit Card Delinquency 27
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 13
Income & Poverty 9.6
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 14
Child Poverty Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Stanley County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Stanley County
Stanley County, SD 31.9 Healthy —
Dewey County, SD 60.2 Elevated +28.3
Lyman County, SD 54.4 Elevated +22.5
Ziebach County, SD 53.1 Elevated +21.3
Jones County, SD 44.7 Normal +12.8
Haakon County, SD 25.6 Healthy -6.3
Hughes County, SD 23.5 Healthy -8.4
Sully County, SD 19.6 Healthy -12.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Stanley County
Pepin County, WI 31.9 Healthy +0.0
Moody County, SD 31.8 Healthy -0.1
Glasscock County, TX 31.9 Healthy +0.1
Fallon County, MT 31.8 Healthy -0.1
Sublette County, WY 32.0 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Stanley 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 Stanley 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 Stanley County, South Dakota?

    Stanley County has a County Distress Index score of 31.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,805th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Stanley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Stanley County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 53.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Stanley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Stanley County (31.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Dewey County, SD (60.2); Lyman County, SD (54.4); Ziebach County, SD (53.1).

  • 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 Stanley County?

    Stanley County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 3,043 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.