Benewah County, Idaho

County Distress Index: Normal · 44.7 | 10,369 people · 7th most distressed in Idaho
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Benewah County, ID falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 44.7 — 1910th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Idaho, it ranks 7th 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. Benewah County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 69.5 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 69.5
Unemployment Rate 86
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 73
Child Poverty Rate 47
Disability Rate 86
Transfer Income Dependency 76
Housing Cost Burden 50.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 57
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 43
Consumer Credit Distress 38.8
Debt in Collections 44
Medical Debt 16
Auto Loan Delinquency 7
Credit Card Delinquency 47
Uninsured Rate 85
Subprime Credit Population 52
Legal Distress 34.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34
Economic Vitality 33.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 31
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Benewah County
Benewah County, ID 44.7 Normal —
Shoshone County, ID 56.8 Elevated +12.1
Spokane County, WA 47.7 Normal +2.9
Kootenai County, ID 41.5 Normal -3.2
Whitman County, WA 41.1 Normal -3.6
Latah County, ID 36.7 Normal -8.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Benewah County
Montgomery County, MO 44.7 Normal 0.0
Mifflin County, PA 44.7 Normal 0.0
Llano County, TX 44.8 Normal +0.1
Webster County, MO 44.9 Normal +0.1
Allegany County, NY 44.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Benewah County

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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 Benewah 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 Benewah County, Idaho?

    Benewah County has a County Distress Index score of 44.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,910th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Idaho out of 44 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Benewah County?

    The primary driver of distress in Benewah County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 69.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Benewah County compare to neighboring counties?

    Benewah County (44.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Shoshone County, ID (56.8); Spokane County, WA (47.7); Kootenai County, ID (41.5).

  • 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 Normal 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). Benewah County's score of 44.7 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Benewah County's CDI score?

    Benewah 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 Benewah County?

    Benewah County, Idaho has a population of approximately 10,369 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.