Beltrami County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.4 | 46,718 people · 4th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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

Beltrami County, MN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.4 — 1877th 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 Minnesota, it ranks 4th of 87 counties. It scores higher than all 9 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Beltrami County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 66.8 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 66.8
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 41
Transfer Income Dependency 70
Housing Cost Burden 58.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 63
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 64
Homeownership Rate 72
Economic Vitality 54.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 51
Rent-to-Income Ratio 46
Business Formation Rate 85
House Price Change (YoY) 33
Legal Distress 37.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 37
Consumer Credit Distress 32.6
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 14
Auto Loan Delinquency 61
Credit Card Delinquency 12
Uninsured Rate 47
Subprime Credit Population 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Beltrami County
Beltrami County, MN 45.4 Normal —
Itasca County, MN 40.4 Normal -5.0
Hubbard County, MN 36.4 Normal -9.0
Cass County, MN 33.5 Healthy -11.9
Pennington County, MN 31.1 Healthy -14.2
Koochiching County, MN 29.9 Healthy -15.5
Lake of the Woods County, MN 28.8 Healthy -16.5
Clearwater County, MN 28.4 Healthy -16.9
Roseau County, MN 27.9 Healthy -17.5
Marshall County, MN 19.8 Healthy -25.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Beltrami County
Appomattox County, VA 45.4 Normal -0.0
Osage County, KS 45.4 Normal +0.0
Chenango County, NY 45.3 Normal -0.1
Kittitas County, WA 45.3 Normal -0.1
Jefferson County, PA 45.5 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Beltrami County

Find an Attorney

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

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 612-278-6333

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Beltrami County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis 612-334-5970
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid 612-332-1441
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services 1-888-575-2954
Central Minnesota Legal Services, Inc. (612) 334-5970
Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (800) 933-1112
Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota Corporation (800) 450-8585

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 Minnesota →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Beltrami County, Minnesota?

    Beltrami County has a County Distress Index score of 45.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,877th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Beltrami County?

    The primary driver of distress in Beltrami County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 66.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Beltrami County compare to neighboring counties?

    Beltrami County (45.4) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Itasca County, MN (40.4); Hubbard County, MN (36.4); Cass County, MN (33.5).

  • 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). Beltrami County's score of 45.4 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Beltrami 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 Beltrami County?

    Beltrami County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 46,718 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.