Clearwater County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 28.4 | 8,644 people · 63rd most distressed in Minnesota
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Clearwater County, MN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 28.4 — 2829th 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 63rd of 87 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

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 69.2 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 69.2
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 80
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 75
Legal Distress 26.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 26
Economic Vitality 25.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 9
Rent-to-Income Ratio 25
Business Formation Rate 78
House Price Change (YoY) 9
Housing Cost Burden 24.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 31
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 44
Homeownership Rate 14
Consumer Credit Distress 19.3
Debt in Collections 14
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 10
Credit Card Delinquency 8
Uninsured Rate 79
Subprime Credit Population 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Clearwater County
Clearwater County, MN 28.4 Healthy —
Mahnomen County, MN 48.0 Normal +19.6
Beltrami County, MN 45.4 Normal +16.9
Polk County, MN 36.6 Normal +8.2
Hubbard County, MN 36.4 Normal +8.0
Pennington County, MN 31.1 Healthy +2.7
Becker County, MN 30.7 Healthy +2.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Clearwater County
Jewell County, KS 28.4 Healthy +0.0
Blaine County, NE 28.4 Healthy +0.0
Madison County, MT 28.5 Healthy +0.0
Haskell County, KS 28.4 Healthy -0.1
Burt County, NE 28.3 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Clearwater 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 Clearwater 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Clearwater County has a County Distress Index score of 28.4 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,829th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 63rd in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Clearwater County?

    The primary driver of distress in Clearwater County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 69.2 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 (28.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Mahnomen County, MN (48.0); Beltrami County, MN (45.4); Polk County, MN (36.6).

  • 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). Clearwater County's score of 28.4 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

  • 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, Minnesota has a population of approximately 8,644 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.