Pope County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.7 | 11,400 people · 34th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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Pope County, MN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.7 — 2541st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Minnesota, it ranks 34th of 87 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Pope County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 71.8 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 71.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 72
Homeownership Rate 8
Legal Distress 52.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 52
Structural Poverty 41.7
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 11
Income vs. State Median 74
Child Poverty Rate 7
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 42
Economic Vitality 36.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 25
Rent-to-Income Ratio 35
Business Formation Rate 80
House Price Change (YoY) 17
Consumer Credit Distress 10.2
Debt in Collections 7
Medical Debt 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 25
Uninsured Rate 5
Subprime Credit Population 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pope County
Pope County, MN 33.7 Healthy —
Stearns County, MN 39.1 Normal +5.4
Swift County, MN 36.9 Normal +3.2
Kandiyohi County, MN 31.9 Healthy -1.9
Grant County, MN 31.3 Healthy -2.5
Douglas County, MN 22.6 Healthy -11.2
Stevens County, MN 18.0 Healthy -15.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pope County
Cottonwood County, MN 33.7 Healthy 0.0
Stewart County, TN 33.7 Healthy -0.0
Tipton County, IN 33.8 Healthy +0.0
Renville County, MN 33.8 Healthy +0.1
Sheridan County, WY 33.7 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Pope 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 Pope 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 Pope County, Minnesota?

    Pope County has a County Distress Index score of 33.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,541st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pope County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pope County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 71.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Pope County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pope County (33.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Stearns County, MN (39.1); Swift County, MN (36.9); Kandiyohi County, MN (31.9).

  • 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). Pope County's score of 33.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Pope 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 Pope County?

    Pope County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 11,400 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.