Bonner County, Idaho

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.7 | 52,547 people · 27th most distressed in Idaho
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Bonner County, ID ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.7 — 2550th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Idaho, it ranks 27th of 44 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bonner County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 60.2 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 60.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 78
Housing Cost Burden 48.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 32
Structural Poverty 46.6
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 32
Disability Rate 67
Transfer Income Dependency 35
Legal Distress 32.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33
Consumer Credit Distress 18.0
Debt in Collections 11
Medical Debt 17
Auto Loan Delinquency 9
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Uninsured Rate 68
Subprime Credit Population 11

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bonner County
Bonner County, ID 33.7 Healthy —
Shoshone County, ID 56.8 Elevated +23.2
Sanders County, MT 50.1 Elevated +16.5
Spokane County, WA 47.7 Normal +14.0
Lincoln County, MT 42.8 Normal +9.2
Kootenai County, ID 41.5 Normal +7.9
Pend Oreille County, WA 30.7 Healthy -3.0
Boundary County, ID 25.7 Healthy -7.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bonner County
Dubuque County, IA 33.6 Healthy -0.0
Winnebago County, WI 33.6 Healthy -0.0
Cass County, ND 33.7 Healthy +0.1
Wood County, WI 33.5 Healthy -0.1
York County, ME 33.8 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bonner 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 Bonner 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 Bonner County, Idaho?

    Bonner County has a County Distress Index score of 33.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,550th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in Idaho out of 44 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bonner County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bonner County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 60.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Bonner County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bonner County (33.7) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Shoshone County, ID (56.8); Sanders County, MT (50.1); Spokane County, WA (47.7).

  • 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). Bonner County's score of 33.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Bonner 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 Bonner County?

    Bonner County, Idaho has a population of approximately 52,547 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.