Marshall County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 19.8 | 8,810 people · 84th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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Marshall County, MN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 19.8 — 3077th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where household incomes are relatively strong and poverty rates are low. Within Minnesota, it ranks 84th of 87 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Marshall County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 40.8 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 40.8
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 13
Income vs. State Median 57
Child Poverty Rate 10
Disability Rate 25
Transfer Income Dependency 43
Legal Distress 25.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 26
Housing Cost Burden 20.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 15
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 22
Homeownership Rate 5
Economic Vitality 19.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 11
Rent-to-Income Ratio 10
Business Formation Rate 57
House Price Change (YoY) 22
Consumer Credit Distress 12.6
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 7
Credit Card Delinquency 6
Uninsured Rate 7
Subprime Credit Population 24

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Marshall County
Marshall County, MN 19.8 Healthy —
Beltrami County, MN 45.4 Normal +25.6
Polk County, MN 36.6 Normal +16.8
Grand Forks County, ND 35.7 Normal +15.9
Pennington County, MN 31.1 Healthy +11.3
Walsh County, ND 29.4 Healthy +9.6
Roseau County, MN 27.9 Healthy +8.1
Kittson County, MN 18.3 Healthy -1.5
Pembina County, ND 16.9 Healthy -2.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Marshall County
Dickey County, ND 19.8 Healthy +0.0
Towner County, ND 19.9 Healthy +0.1
Custer County, SD 19.9 Healthy +0.1
Gove County, KS 19.9 Healthy +0.1
Aurora County, SD 19.7 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Marshall 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 Marshall 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Marshall County has a County Distress Index score of 19.8 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,077th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 84th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Marshall County?

    The primary driver of distress in Marshall County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 40.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Marshall County compare to neighboring counties?

    Marshall County (19.8) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Beltrami County, MN (45.4); Polk County, MN (36.6); Grand Forks County, ND (35.7).

  • 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). Marshall County's score of 19.8 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Marshall 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 Marshall County?

    Marshall County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 8,810 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.