Pennington County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 31.1 | 13,714 people · 49th most distressed in Minnesota
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Pennington County, MN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.1 — 2692nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Minnesota, it ranks 49th of 87 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Pennington County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 50.0 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 50.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 23
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 91
Housing Cost Burden 43.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 41
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 65
Legal Distress 40.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 41
Structural Poverty 39.5
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 23
Income vs. State Median 45
Child Poverty Rate 13
Disability Rate 42
Transfer Income Dependency 29
Consumer Credit Distress 17.6
Debt in Collections 17
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 7
Credit Card Delinquency 30
Uninsured Rate 8
Subprime Credit Population 28

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pennington County
Pennington County, MN 31.1 Healthy —
Beltrami County, MN 45.4 Normal +14.2
Polk County, MN 36.6 Normal +5.5
Clearwater County, MN 28.4 Healthy -2.7
Red Lake County, MN 22.9 Healthy -8.2
Marshall County, MN 19.8 Healthy -11.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pennington County
Crawford County, WI 31.1 Healthy +0.0
Carroll County, IL 31.2 Healthy +0.0
Marion County, KS 31.1 Healthy -0.1
Mercer County, IL 31.0 Healthy -0.1
Fergus County, MT 31.0 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pennington 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 Pennington 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 Pennington County, Minnesota?

    Pennington County has a County Distress Index score of 31.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,692nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 49th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pennington County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pennington County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 50.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Pennington County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pennington County (31.1) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Beltrami County, MN (45.4); Polk County, MN (36.6); Clearwater County, MN (28.4).

  • 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). Pennington County's score of 31.1 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Pennington 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 Pennington County?

    Pennington County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 13,714 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.