Bear Lake County, Idaho

County Distress Index: Healthy · 30.3 | 6,766 people · 35th most distressed in Idaho
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Bear Lake County, ID ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 30.3 — 2744th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Idaho, it ranks 35th of 44 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bear Lake County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 48.7 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 48.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 14
Business Formation Rate 13
House Price Change (YoY) 86
Legal Distress 46.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 46
Structural Poverty 37.3
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 20
Disability Rate 42
Transfer Income Dependency 49
Housing Cost Burden 30.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 49
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 5
Consumer Credit Distress 22.1
Debt in Collections 18
Medical Debt 48
Auto Loan Delinquency 20
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Uninsured Rate 46
Subprime Credit Population 7

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bear Lake County
Bear Lake County, ID 30.3 Healthy —
Caribou County, ID 37.1 Normal +6.8
Cache County, UT 35.1 Normal +4.8
Franklin County, ID 26.9 Healthy -3.5
Rich County, UT 21.4 Healthy -8.9
Lincoln County, WY 17.1 Healthy -13.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bear Lake County
Graham County, KS 30.3 Healthy -0.0
Pratt County, KS 30.4 Healthy +0.1
Sioux County, NE 30.4 Healthy +0.1
Washakie County, WY 30.4 Healthy +0.1
Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK 30.2 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Bear Lake County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Bear Lake County

Find an Attorney

Idaho State Bar Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Idaho State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 208-334-4500

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Bear Lake County residents at no cost.

Idaho Legal Aid Services, Inc. 208-336-8980
Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program 208-334-4500

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Bear Lake County, Idaho?

    Bear Lake County has a County Distress Index score of 30.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,744th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Idaho out of 44 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bear Lake County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bear Lake County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 48.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Bear Lake County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bear Lake County (30.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Caribou County, ID (37.1); Cache County, UT (35.1); Franklin County, ID (26.9).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Healthy zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Bear Lake County's score of 30.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

  • What data sources power Bear Lake County's CDI score?

    Bear Lake County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Bear Lake County?

    Bear Lake County, Idaho has a population of approximately 6,766 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.