Iowa County, Wisconsin

County Distress Index: Healthy · 20.8 | 23,956 people · 72nd most distressed in Wisconsin
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Iowa County, WI ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 20.8 — 3107th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within Wisconsin, it ranks 72nd of 72 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Iowa County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 36.3 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 36.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 24
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 35
Rent-to-Income Ratio 20
Employment & Wages 28.9
Unemployment Rate 13
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 20
Income & Poverty 15.2
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 28
Child Poverty Rate 8
Debt & Delinquency 14.0
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 25
Student Loan Delinquency 3
Auto Loan Delinquency 8
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 36
Community Vulnerability 9.8
Uninsured Rate 4
Disability Rate 16

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Iowa County
Iowa County, WI 20.8 Healthy —
Richland County, WI 41.9 Normal +21.0
Grant County, WI 39.2 Normal +18.4
Sauk County, WI 35.9 Normal +15.1
Lafayette County, WI 31.9 Healthy +11.0
Dane County, WI 31.7 Healthy +10.9
Green County, WI 26.2 Healthy +5.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Iowa County
Botetourt County, VA 20.8 Healthy -0.1
Sioux County, IA 21.0 Healthy +0.2
Bremer County, IA 20.6 Healthy -0.2
Summit County, UT 21.1 Healthy +0.3
Mercer County, OH 21.8 Healthy +1.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Iowa County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Wisconsin — Lawyer Referral and Information Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Wisconsin — Lawyer Referral and Information Service 608-257-4666 (Madison); 414-274-6768 (Milwaukee)

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Iowa County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee 414-278-7722
Legal Action of Wisconsin 608-256-3191 (Madison); 414-278-7722 (Milwaukee)
Wisconsin Judicare 715-842-1681 (Wausau); 1-800-472-1638 (statewide)
Disability Rights Wisconsin 608-267-0214
Judicare Legal Aid (715) 842-1681

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Iowa County, Wisconsin?

    Iowa County has a County Distress Index score of 20.8 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,107th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 72nd in Wisconsin out of 72 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Iowa County?

    The primary driver of distress in Iowa County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 36.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Iowa County compare to neighboring counties?

    Iowa County (20.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Richland County, WI (41.9); Grant County, WI (39.2); Sauk County, WI (35.9).

  • 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 Iowa County?

    Iowa County, Wisconsin has a population of approximately 23,956 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.