Clearwater County, Idaho

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.5 | 9,214 people · 13th most distressed in Idaho
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Clearwater County, ID falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.5 — 2159th 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 13th of 44 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Clearwater County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 78.3 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 78.3
Unemployment Rate 89
Poverty Rate 58
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 57
Disability Rate 93
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Legal Distress 56.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 57
Economic Vitality 56.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 55
Rent-to-Income Ratio 58
Business Formation Rate 60
House Price Change (YoY) 47
Housing Cost Burden 43.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 51
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 12
Consumer Credit Distress 23.0
Debt in Collections 36
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clearwater County
Clearwater County, ID 40.5 Normal —
Shoshone County, ID 56.8 Elevated +16.3
Mineral County, MT 47.7 Normal +7.1
Missoula County, MT 40.5 Normal -0.0
Nez Perce County, ID 40.2 Normal -0.3
Latah County, ID 36.7 Normal -3.9
Lewis County, ID 35.9 Normal -4.6
Idaho County, ID 33.5 Healthy -7.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clearwater County
Nome Census Area, AK 40.5 Normal -0.0
Hardin County, IL 40.6 Normal +0.0
Monroe County, IA 40.6 Normal +0.1
Pleasants County, WV 40.7 Normal +0.1
Lexington city, VA 40.4 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clearwater 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 Clearwater County residents at no cost.

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

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

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Idaho →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Clearwater County, Idaho?

    Clearwater County has a County Distress Index score of 40.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,159th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in Idaho out of 44 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clearwater County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clearwater County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 78.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Clearwater County compare to neighboring counties?

    Clearwater County (40.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Shoshone County, ID (56.8); Mineral County, MT (47.7); Missoula County, MT (40.5).

  • 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). Clearwater County's score of 40.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Clearwater 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 Clearwater County?

    Clearwater County, Idaho has a population of approximately 9,214 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.