Big Horn County, Montana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.3 | 12,751 people · 2nd most distressed in Montana
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Big Horn County, MT registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.3 — 929th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Montana, it ranks 2nd of 56 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Big Horn County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 78.3 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 78.3
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 94
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 82
Economic Vitality 77.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 71
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 71
House Price Change (YoY) 72
Structural Poverty 76.5
Unemployment Rate 94
Poverty Rate 90
Income vs. State Median 83
Child Poverty Rate 76
Disability Rate 21
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Housing Cost Burden 23.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 77
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Big Horn County
Big Horn County, MT 60.3 Elevated —
Rosebud County, MT 53.9 Elevated -6.4
Yellowstone County, MT 46.7 Normal -13.7
Big Horn County, WY 41.1 Normal -19.2
Sheridan County, WY 33.7 Healthy -26.7
Carbon County, MT 30.0 Healthy -30.3
Treasure County, MT 29.9 Healthy -30.5
Powder River County, MT 21.5 Healthy -38.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Big Horn County
Austin County, TX 60.3 Elevated 0.0
Wood County, TX 60.3 Elevated 0.0
Dinwiddie County, VA 60.3 Elevated 0.0
Pike County, AR 60.4 Elevated +0.0
Live Oak County, TX 60.4 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Big Horn County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Big Horn County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Montana Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Montana Lawyer Referral Service 406-442-7660

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Big Horn County residents at no cost.

Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA) 1-800-666-6899

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Big Horn County, Montana?

    Big Horn County has a County Distress Index score of 60.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 929th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Big Horn County?

    The primary driver of distress in Big Horn County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 78.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Big Horn County compare to neighboring counties?

    Big Horn County (60.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Rosebud County, MT (53.9); Yellowstone County, MT (46.7); Big Horn County, WY (41.1).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Big Horn County's score of 60.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Big Horn County's CDI score?

    Big Horn 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 Big Horn County?

    Big Horn County, Montana has a population of approximately 12,751 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.