Todd County, South Dakota
More than double the national median for child poverty rate — and 12.2× the rate of the healthiest U.S. county (Douglas County, CO — 3%).
Main Findings
Todd County, South Dakota ranks 812th most distressed in the United States on the County Distress Index. The driver: 38% of children live below the federal poverty line — more than double the national median of 18%.
- 812th of 3,144 counties on the County Distress Index — Second-most distressed fifth, 2nd in South Dakota.
- 38% of children live below the federal poverty line (U.S. median 18%). Child poverty rate at the 95th percentile nationally.
- Unemployment at 4% — national median 4%, ranked at the 71st percentile.
- Auto loan delinquency at 21% — national median 5%, ranked at the 95th percentile.
- Debt in collections at 49% — national median 23%, ranked at the 95th percentile.
Unemployment is 4%, near the national median of 4%, while auto loan delinquency runs at the 95th percentile. Jobs exist; wages don't close the gap.
Neighbors span two CDI distress fifths. The 17-point drop to Cherry County, NE marks a cross-border distress gradient.
"Todd County ranks in the second-most distressed fifth of U.S. counties. The score is above the national county midpoint, with the domain table showing the local pressure mix."
"The CDI places this county in the second-most distressed fifth nationally. The county sits above the median distress position, with the five-domain profile showing which local pressures carry the score."
Reporter's Notes
Two data points in the indicator table worth a follow-up call.
Todd County's credit card delinquency indicator is at the 19th percentile — while every other indicator in the delinquency domain sits at or above the 95th percentile. The gap stands out against auto loan delinquency and subprime credit share. Worth a call to Urban Institute or a local credit counselor in Winner.
38% of children under 18 in Todd County live below the federal poverty line, versus 18% nationally. When a county's adult poverty rate is accompanied by a materially higher child poverty rate, the gap typically reflects single-parent household concentration or limited access to workforce-participation supports (childcare, transportation). Worth a call to the local school district's free-and-reduced-lunch coordinator or a regional United Way affiliate.
The Indicators Behind Todd County's CDI Score
Every number traces to a public source. Todd County's value shown alongside SD's median and the U.S. median. Full CSV available for download.
| Indicator | Todd | SD median | U.S. median | Pctile | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delinquency — domain score 70 · Rank 874 of 3,144 | |||||
| Auto loan delinquency Share of auto loan accounts 60+ days past due | 21% | 3% | 5% | 95th | Urban Institute (2024) |
| Credit card delinquency Share of credit card accounts 60+ days past due | 4% | 4% | 5% | 19th | Urban Institute (2024) |
| Subprime credit share Share of residents with a credit score below 660 | 44% | 16% | 23% | 95th | Urban Institute (2024) |
| Default & Legal — domain score 54 · Rank 1,374 of 3,144 | |||||
| Debt in collections Share of residents with a credit file who have debt in collections | 49% | 13% | 23% | 95th | Urban Institute (2024) |
| Bankruptcy filing rate Personal bankruptcy filings per 100,000 residents | 57 | 57 | 126 | 13th | US Courts F-5A (2025) |
| Debt Burden (housing basis) — domain score 41 · Rank 1,951 of 3,144 | |||||
| Rent-to-income ratio Fair Market Rent (2BR) as share of median household income | 22% | 17% | 21% | 60th | HUD FMR × Census ACS (2024) |
| Severe rent burden (50%+) Share of renter households paying 50%+ of income on rent | 13% | 12% | 18% | 22nd | Census ACS 5-yr (2023) |
| Labor — domain score 71 · Rank 938 of 3,144 | |||||
| Unemployment Share of labor force unemployed | 4% | 2% | 4% | 71st | BLS LAUS (Dec 2025) |
| Safety Net & Buffer — domain score 83 · Rank 308 of 3,144 | |||||
| Child poverty rate Share of children under 18 below the federal poverty line | 38% | 13% | 18% | 95th | Census SAIPE (2023) |
| Disability rate Share of residents reporting a disability | 10% | 12% | 16% | 6th | Census ACS 5-yr (2023) |
| Poverty rate Share of population below the federal poverty line | 36% | 11% | 14% | 95th | Census SAIPE (2023) |
| Transfer-income dependency Share of personal income from government transfers | 43% | 20% | 27% | 95th | BEA Regional Personal Income (2023) |
| Uninsured rate Share of residents without health insurance coverage | 24% | 8% | 8% | 95th | Census ACS 5-yr (2023) |
Five-Domain Breakdown
The CDI is an equal-weight composite of five family-v1 distress domains. Each domain contributes 20% of the county score.
Methodology
The County Distress Index is a 0–100 composite score of household financial distress, computed for all 3,144 U.S. counties. Higher scores indicate greater distress. The index is built from five equal-weighted domains: Delinquency, Default & Legal, Debt Burden, Labor, and Safety Net & Buffer. Each domain is the mean of distress-oriented indicator percentiles; the CDI score is the equal-weight mean of those domain scores.
Data sources include the Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax consumer credit panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, Business Formation Statistics), Bureau of Labor Statistics (Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Data vintages range from 2023 to 2025 depending on source; full indicator-level vintage detail is in the methodology document.
For Press & Research
Everything you need to cite Todd County data — in under 60 seconds.
Draft wire copy 158-word AP-style article — use freely with attribution
WINNER, S.D. — Todd County ranks 812th among the nation's most financially distressed counties, according to the County Distress Index released this month by American Default Research.
The composite score of 64 out of 100 places Todd in the second-most distressed fifth. Among 3,144 U.S. counties scored, 811 counties rank more distressed. Within South Dakota, Todd ranks second of 66 counties.
The index, which draws on 16 source indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Urban Institute and federal court filings, identifies safety net & buffer as the primary driver in Todd. 38% of children live below the federal poverty line — more than double the national median of 18%.
"Todd County ranks in the second-most distressed fifth of U.S. counties. The score is above the national county midpoint, with the domain table showing the local pressure mix," said Ross Kilburn, founder of American Default Research.
Full methodology and county-by-county data are available at americandefault.org/methodology/cdi.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Todd County's CDI score, and what does it mean?
What drives Todd County's distress score?
How does Todd County compare to its neighbors?
How is the County Distress Index calculated?
Todd County resident looking for help? HUD counselors, legal aid, and attorney referrals →