Oglala Lakota County was more distressed than 84% of U.S. counties, South Dakota’s highest
Each state is shaded by how distressed its households are, from green (least) to red (most), with data through September 2026. South Dakota scores 4 out of 100.
South Dakota scored 4 on the state distress index, but Oglala Lakota County was more distressed than 84% of U.S. counties. Ziebach County has the state’s highest poverty rate, 45.8%, while Hamlin County has its lowest distress score. Low unemployment and a small share of severely burdened renters hold down the state score.
- Score
- 4/100
- Data through
- September 2026
- Edition
- October 2026
Next edition expected March 2027
South Dakota is near the bottom of the state distress ranking, but its counties diverge
The State Distress Index ranks South Dakota 49th most distressed among the states and D.C. Its 2.0% unemployment rate in August 2026 was the country’s lowest. But the statewide score conceals a much wider county range, from Oglala Lakota to Hamlin.
Jobs and renters’ costs keep the score low
For every measure, South Dakota’s value gets a position among the states and D.C. The measures form four parts, and their average is 12. The score of 4 expresses where that average stands among the other places. A score of 80 would mean more distress than 80% of states.
- Jobs1Unemployment averaged 2.0% from June through August 2026, against 4.1% nationwide (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
- Renters’ housing costs7In 2024, 16.8% of renters spent at least half their income on housing, against 26.1% nationally (Census Bureau).
- Collections and bankruptcy12The bankruptcy rate was 71.5 filings per 100,000 residents in 2025, below the U.S. rate of 166.3 (U.S. Courts).
- Late payments28In early 2025, 9.3% of card borrowers were seriously behind, below the U.S. share of 13.5% (Philadelphia Fed).
Five neighbors score higher; North Dakota scores lower
South Dakota scores 4, while North Dakota scores 0. Minnesota has the highest score among South Dakota’s six neighbors, at 30. The map compares relative distress, not how many people are affected.
State Distress Index. Each score compares all 50 states and D.C.
The quarterly score has stayed near the bottom since 2006
High in this history
The quarterly series reaches 4 in several quarters from late 2006 through 2008 and again in 2018. The high is within this series, which begins in 2006.
Low in this history
The score reaches 0 in the quarterly history between early 2020 and mid-2024. A zero is a relative rank, not an absence of household hardship.
After the chart
The history ends in early 2025 at 2. Today’s score is 4, using newer inputs for some measures. The chart traces every quarterly score through early 2025.
South Dakota’s quarterly score never exceeds 4
State Distress Index history from 2006 through early 2025; today’s score appears above.
Which South Dakota counties have the highest poverty and distress?
Ziebach County has the highest 2024 poverty estimate, 45.8%, but ranks 9th on distress. Oglala Lakota ranks first on the County Distress Index at 84, while its poverty rate is 35.8%. Hamlin has the lowest distress score, 0. These measures describe different kinds of strain.
Three counties score at least 80; most score below 30
All 66 counties, shaded by County Distress Index score. County ranks use unrounded scores.
Loading the county map…
The county map could not be loaded. Every county is in the lists on this page.
Most distressed
| Rank | County | Score | Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oglala Lakota | 84 | 35.8% |
| 2 | Todd | 84 | 32.9% |
| 3 | Dewey | 82 | 28.8% |
| 4 | Corson | 64 | 37.9% |
| 5 | Jackson | 62 | 29.1% |
| 6 | Buffalo | 62 | 36.3% |
| 7 | Bennett | 53 | 29.4% |
| 8 | Mellette | 53 | 25.9% |
| 9 | Ziebach | 52 | 45.8% |
| 10 | Lyman | 38 | 21.4% |
Least distressed
| Rank | County | Score | Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | Hand | 0 | 8.4% |
| 63 | Deuel | 0 | 8.6% |
| 64 | Hanson | 0 | 8.7% |
| 65 | Lincoln | 0 | 3.8% |
| 66 | Hamlin | 0 | 8.2% |
The County Distress Index uses unrounded scores, so counties with the same printed score can have different ranks. Poverty uses the Census Bureau’s 2024 county estimates.
Every South Dakota county, by score
Of 66 counties, 53 score below 30 and 3 score from 80 to 100. The statewide score of 4 ranks a different pool of places and should not be subtracted from a county score.
3 score 80–100
0 score 70–79
4 score 30–49
53 score 0–29
Butte, Gregory, Clay, Charles Mix, Pennington, Walworth, Beadle, Potter, Moody, Brown, Davison, Minnehaha, Day, Faulk, Perkins, Clark, Jones, Lawrence, Brule, Sanborn, Stanley, Hyde, Miner, Lake, McCook, Spink, Yankton, Grant, Codington, Jerauld, Meade, Bon Homme, McPherson, Custer, Harding, Campbell, Marshall, Turner, Aurora, Hughes, Union, Edmunds, Douglas, Sully, Hutchinson, Haakon, Kingsbury, Brookings, Hand, Deuel, Hanson, Lincoln, Hamlin
The poorest county is not the most distressed
Ziebach has the highest Census poverty rate in the state, 45.8%, but ranks 9th on our county index. Oglala Lakota ranks first on the index and 4th on poverty. Poverty measures income; our index also considers jobs, debt and renters’ costs.
Five highest county poverty rates, Census 2024
| County | Poverty | Distress rank |
|---|---|---|
| Ziebach | 45.8% | 9th |
| Corson | 37.9% | 4th |
| Buffalo | 36.3% | 6th |
| Oglala Lakota | 35.8% | 1st |
| Todd | 32.9% | 2nd |
The Stronghold Unit lies in Oglala Lakota County. The county scores 84 on our distress index and has a 35.8% poverty rate in the Census Bureau’s 2024 estimate. Neither measure describes every household in the county.
Photo: Badlands National Park / Jessica L. Bryant, Wikimedia Commons, public domain. County score: American Default Research. Poverty: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024.
The statewide score misses a large local gap
Oglala Lakota scores 84; Hamlin scores 0. Their Census poverty estimates are 35.8% and 8.2%. The two county scores compare counties nationally; the state score compares states.
American Default Research, County Distress Index; U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates.
Is South Dakota affordable? Rent is low, but the answer depends on the household
The Census Bureau estimated median gross rent at $946 a month in its 2020–2024 survey, versus $1,413 nationally. In its separate 2024 survey, 16.8% of South Dakota renters spent at least half their income on housing, versus 26.1% across the country. Neither figure prices all household expenses.
Median gross rent
$946
U.S. $1,413
Census five-year survey ending 2024
Renters spending half their income on housing
16.8%
U.S. 26.1%
Census one-year survey, 2024
The chart puts South Dakota’s severe renter burden beside the national share over time. The measure counts renter households, not every resident.
South Dakota’s severe renter burden remains below the U.S. share
Renter households spending at least half their income on housing, 2005–2024. No comparable 2020 point.
Utility bills can move separately from rent
The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission approved a rate increase for Xcel Energy’s South Dakota customers effective July 2026. The decision applies to that utility’s service area, not every household in the state. Read the decision →
South Dakota had the lowest state unemployment rate in August 2026
South Dakota’s unemployment rate was 2.0% in August 2026, against 4.1% nationally (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Median household income was $77,494 in 2024, below the U.S. median of $81,604 (Census Bureau). A low jobless rate does not say what a job pays.
Unemployment
2.0%
U.S. 4.1%
August 2026, seasonally adjusted
Median household income
$77,494
U.S. $81,604
Census Bureau, 2024
The monthly unemployment series shows how the state’s rate has compared with the nation’s across recessions and recent years.
South Dakota’s jobless rate ends below the U.S. rate
Monthly, seasonally adjusted unemployment through August 2026.
Population and income tell different stories
The Census Bureau estimated 935,094 South Dakota residents in 2025. That population count helps put court filings in context; it does not explain wages or the uneven county poverty figures. Explore the county rankings →
Is South Dakota poor? The state rate is below the U.S., while some counties are far above it
The Census Bureau estimated South Dakota’s poverty rate at 10.5% in 2024, compared with 12.1% nationally. Ziebach County’s estimate was 45.8%. A statewide answer therefore misses the state’s deepest county differences.
Residents in poverty
10.5%
U.S. 12.1%
Census Bureau, 2024
Children in poverty
11.9%
U.S. 15.5%
Census Bureau, 2024
Median household income
$77,494
U.S. $81,604
Census Bureau, 2024
The yearly Census series shows whether the state poverty rate moved in step with the national rate. Its gaps are years without comparable estimates.
South Dakota’s poverty rate ends below the national estimate
Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, South Dakota and U.S., through 2024.
Food benefits count a different group
U.S. Department of Agriculture counted 7.5% of South Dakota residents receiving SNAP in July 2026, compared with 10.5% nationally. SNAP eligibility differs from the Census poverty threshold, so the rates should not be treated as interchangeable. See the national SNAP data →
What changed in South Dakota in the past year
These dated decisions affect different households and do not explain the index score.
-
Oct. 20, 2026
September unemployment holds at the August rate
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported South Dakota’s September jobless rate was unchanged from August and remained the country’s lowest.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 2026 state release
-
By Oct. 15, 2026
The state posts its next minimum wage
The state labor department posted the minimum wage scheduled for January 2027. A wage floor does not describe every worker’s pay or hours.
-
July 1, 2026
Approved Xcel Energy electric rates take effect
The Public Utilities Commission approved a rate change for Xcel Energy’s South Dakota customers. The decision applies to that service territory, not the whole state.
-
May 8, 2026
Utility regulators approve a lower increase than Xcel requested
The Public Utilities Commission approved a settlement after reviewing the company’s request. It said a difference between interim and final rates would be refunded on later bills.
How many South Dakotans are behind on bills?
In early 2025, 11.4% of South Dakotans with a credit record had a debt at least 90 days late, against 17.2% nationally (Philadelphia Fed). Card, auto and mortgage borrowers each have their own denominator.
The bars compare each kind of serious payment trouble with the matching national figure. The collections bar measures people with a debt in collections, a separate group.
Among the states and D.C., South Dakota ranks tied for 6th lowest for collections and tied for 7th lowest for card borrowers seriously behind. Each ranking uses that measure’s own population.
The New York Fed counts late dollars, not late borrowers
At the end of 2025, household debt averaged $52,270 per South Dakotan with a credit report, versus $63,200 nationwide (New York Fed). Its late-payment rates below measure the share of loan balances, not people.
| Loan balance | South Dakota | U.S. | South Dakota 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card balances 90+ days late South Dakota 2019 6.3% | 9.1% U.S. 12.4% | 12.4% | 6.3% |
| Auto balances 90+ days late South Dakota 2019 3.4% | 3.7% U.S. 5.2% | 5.2% | 3.4% |
| Mortgage balances 90+ days late South Dakota 2019 0.7% | 0.8% U.S. 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.7% |
Shares of balances at year end. Federal Reserve Bank of New York Consumer Credit Panel / Equifax. The last column gives South Dakota’s earlier year-end comparison.
South Dakota’s bankruptcy filing rate stayed below the U.S. rate in 2025
U.S. Courts counted 669 South Dakota bankruptcy cases in 2025, or 71.5 per 100,000 residents. The national rate was 166.3. Filings rose 7.2% from 2024, but a court case is not a count of every household in trouble.
Cases in 2025
669
All chapters, U.S. Courts
Filings per 100,000
71.5
U.S. 166.3
2025 population
These filings include household and business cases. Read the national bankruptcy series →
How does foreclosure work in South Dakota?
South Dakota law provides both a court process and a power-of-sale process for mortgage foreclosure. Which path applies depends on the mortgage and the case. The South Dakota foreclosure guide explains the general steps and links the state statutes.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau measured 1.2% of South Dakota mortgages 30 to 89 days late in September 2025, compared with 1.6% nationally. That is a delinquency share, not a foreclosure count.
The federal Homeowner Assistance Fund reported helping 324 South Dakota households through the first quarter of 2026. That past program total does not establish what help is available to a particular homeowner now. See free help below →
What do South Dakota mortgage complaints describe?
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau published 444 South Dakota mortgage complaints from January 2012 through October 2026. Trouble during the payment process was the most frequent named issue, with 130 reports. The bureau does not verify every consumer account.
- Sept. 17, 2026 First Interstate Bancsystem, Inc. Payment process Closed with explanation
- Sept. 3, 2026 Selene Finance Payment process: paying off the loan Closed with explanation
- Sept. 3, 2026 Idaho Housing and Finance Association Payment process Closed with explanation
- Aug. 28, 2026 Idaho Housing and Finance Association Struggling to pay: foreclosure Closed with explanation
- Aug. 26, 2026 Lakeview Loan Servicing Struggling to pay: an existing modification, forbearance or other relief Closed with explanation
- Aug. 19, 2026 Idaho Housing and Finance Association Struggling to pay: foreclosure Closed with explanation
- Aug. 14, 2026 Idaho Housing and Finance Association Struggling to pay: an existing modification, forbearance or other relief Closed with explanation
- Aug. 7, 2026 Idaho Housing and Finance Association Struggling to pay: trouble reaching the company about a modification, forbearance or foreclosure Closed with explanation
- Aug. 4, 2026 Idaho Housing and Finance Association Struggling to pay: an existing modification, forbearance or other relief Closed with explanation
- July 24, 2026 PennyMac Struggling to pay: trouble reaching the company about a modification, forbearance or foreclosure Closed with explanation
The ten newest public complaints about a mortgage payment or help with a mortgage. Credit bureau reports are excluded. These are consumer accounts, not proven findings against a company.
What to watch before the next edition
The labor department has scheduled these releases before the next edition. Each will add a month of context.
-
Oct. 23, 2026
September local jobs report
South Dakota’s labor department plans to release county and other local employment data for September.
-
Nov. 19, 2026
October statewide jobs report
The department schedules its October labor force and nonfarm worker figures for this date.
-
Dec. 17, 2026
November state employment report
The department schedules its November state employment figures before the next edition.
Where South Dakota ranks highest and lowest
Each rank belongs to its named source and period. A higher value is not automatically better or worse.
| Measure | South Dakota | U.S. | Rank | Latest data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median monthly gross rent 2nd lowest · 2024* | $946 U.S. $1,413 | $1,413 | 2nd lowest | 2024* |
| Renters spending half their income on housing Tied for lowest · 2024 | 16.8% U.S. 26.1% | 26.1% | Tied for lowest | 2024 |
| Unemployment rate, three-month average Lowest · June–August 2026 | 2.0% U.S. 4.1% | 4.1% | Lowest | June–August 2026 |
| Median household income 30th highest · 2024 | $77,494 U.S. $81,604 | $81,604 | 30th highest | 2024 |
| Residents in poverty 33rd highest · 2024 | 10.5% U.S. 12.1% | 12.1% | 33rd highest | 2024 |
| People with debt in collections Tied for 6th lowest · Early 2025 | 8.6% U.S. 13.2% | 13.2% | Tied for 6th lowest | Early 2025 |
| Card borrowers 90+ days late Tied for 7th lowest · Early 2025 | 9.3% U.S. 13.5% | 13.5% | Tied for 7th lowest | Early 2025 |
| Auto borrowers 90+ days late Tied for 10th lowest · Early 2025 | 5.3% U.S. 8.5% | 8.5% | Tied for 10th lowest | Early 2025 |
| Mortgage borrowers 90+ days late Tied for 15th lowest · Early 2025 | 0.9% U.S. 1.2% | 1.2% | Tied for 15th lowest | Early 2025 |
| Household debt per person with a credit report 18th lowest · End 2025 | $52,270 U.S. $63,200 | $63,200 | 18th lowest | End 2025 |
| Card balances 90+ days late 5th lowest · End 2025 | 9.1% U.S. 12.4% | 12.4% | 5th lowest | End 2025 |
| Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 6th lowest · 2025 | 71.5 U.S. 166.3 | 166.3 | 6th lowest | 2025 |
| SNAP participants as a share of population Tied for 13th lowest · July 2026 | 7.5% U.S. 10.5% | 10.5% | Tied for 13th lowest | July 2026 |
Ranks compare the 50 states and D.C.; ties use printed values. * The rent figure is from the Census five-year survey ending in 2024. Philadelphia Fed rows count people; New York Fed rows count dollars. Download the October 2026 CSV.
Questions about South Dakota
What is South Dakota’s poverty rate?
The Census Bureau’s 2024 estimate is 10.5%, compared with 12.1% nationally. County estimates range much more widely; Ziebach has the state’s highest rate at 45.8%.
Which South Dakota county is poorest?
Ziebach County has the highest 2024 poverty estimate, 45.8%, in the Census Bureau’s Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. Oglala Lakota ranks first on our separate distress index.
Is South Dakota an affordable place to live?
Its median gross rent was $946 in the Census five-year survey ending in 2024, below the U.S. median of $1,413. That is rent and utilities, not a complete household budget.
What is South Dakota’s unemployment rate?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 2.0% for August 2026, compared with 4.1% nationally. The state labor department has since reported on September.
What does a South Dakota distress score of 4 mean?
South Dakota’s four-part average is higher than that of 4% of the other states and D.C. A score of 80 would mean more distress than 80% of states. It does not describe any one household.
Cite or reuse South Dakota’s data
The October 2026 figures list their sources and dates beside the numbers.
State Distress Index
South Dakota
49thmost distressed state
of the 50 states and D.C.
More distressed than 4% of the other states and D.C.
American Default Research ranks South Dakota 49th most distressed among the states and D.C., with a score of 4. Oglala Lakota County scores 84 on the County Distress Index. Ziebach County has the state’s highest 2024 Census poverty estimate, 45.8%.
For reporting questions, contact American Default Research.
Sources and method
We gather the data, run the numbers and research each state ourselves.
This edition: October 2026 · Next edition expected March 2027
- State and county distress scoresAmerican Default Research, State Distress Index methodOctober 2026 edition
- County and state poverty, household incomeU.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates2024
- Rent and renters’ housing costsU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey2020–2024 and 2024
- Jobs and unemploymentU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2026 state releasethrough August 2026
- People seriously behind and in collectionsFederal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Consumer Credit Explorerfirst quarter of 2025
- Debt balances and late balancesFederal Reserve Bank of New York, Consumer Credit Panelend of 2019 and 2025
- Bankruptcy casesAdministrative Office of the U.S. Courts, 2025 table F-22025
- SNAP participationU.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition AdministrationJuly 2026
- Mortgage performance and complaintsConsumer Financial Protection BureauSeptember 2025; through October 2026
- Homeowner Assistance FundU.S. Department of the Treasurythrough first quarter 2026
- Housing counselorsU.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentOctober 2026
- Electric rate decisionSouth Dakota Public Utilities CommissionMay and July 2026
- Jobs schedule and minimum wageSouth Dakota labor and regulation agency2026
- Stronghold Unit photographBadlands National Park / Jessica L. Bryant, Wikimedia Commons, public domain2012
The State Distress Index ranks late payments, collections and bankruptcy, jobs, and renters’ housing costs. It places each state’s four-part average among the other states. The result is a relative score, not a forecast for a household. Read the full method →
We write with AI tools, and Ross Kilburn checks and reviews every page before it's published.
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