Shoshone County, Idaho

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.8 | 14,026 people · 1st most distressed in Idaho
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Shoshone County, ID registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.8 — 1155th 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 1st of 44 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Shoshone County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 75.9 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 75.9
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 66
Income vs. State Median 76
Child Poverty Rate 60
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 78
Legal Distress 74.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 75
Housing Cost Burden 69.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 53
Economic Vitality 52.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 52
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Business Formation Rate 51
House Price Change (YoY) 21
Consumer Credit Distress 43.4
Debt in Collections 40
Medical Debt 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 50
Credit Card Delinquency 59
Uninsured Rate 70
Subprime Credit Population 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Shoshone County
Shoshone County, ID 56.8 Elevated —
Sanders County, MT 50.1 Elevated -6.7
Mineral County, MT 47.7 Normal -9.1
Benewah County, ID 44.7 Normal -12.1
Kootenai County, ID 41.5 Normal -15.3
Clearwater County, ID 40.5 Normal -16.3
Latah County, ID 36.7 Normal -20.1
Bonner County, ID 33.7 Healthy -23.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Shoshone County
Johnson County, TN 56.8 Elevated -0.0
Garrard County, KY 56.9 Elevated +0.0
Lawrence County, TN 56.9 Elevated +0.0
Owen County, KY 56.9 Elevated +0.1
Obion County, TN 56.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Shoshone 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 Shoshone 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 Shoshone County, Idaho?

    Shoshone County has a County Distress Index score of 56.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,155th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in Idaho out of 44 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Shoshone County?

    The primary driver of distress in Shoshone County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 75.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Shoshone County compare to neighboring counties?

    Shoshone County (56.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Sanders County, MT (50.1); Mineral County, MT (47.7); Benewah County, ID (44.7).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Shoshone County's score of 56.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Shoshone 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 Shoshone County?

    Shoshone County, Idaho has a population of approximately 14,026 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.