Blaine County, Montana

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.1 | 6,899 people · 12th most distressed in Montana
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Blaine County, MT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.1 — 1890th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Montana, it ranks 12th of 56 counties. It scores higher than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Blaine County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 78.1 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 78.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 81
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Business Formation Rate 72
House Price Change (YoY) 72
Structural Poverty 70.6
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 62
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 75
Transfer Income Dependency 83
Consumer Credit Distress 49.1
Debt in Collections 51
Medical Debt 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 35
Credit Card Delinquency 29
Uninsured Rate 93
Subprime Credit Population 65
Housing Cost Burden 20.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 12
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 88
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Blaine County
Blaine County, MT 45.1 Normal —
Hill County, MT 43.8 Normal -1.3
Chouteau County, MT 33.7 Healthy -11.4
Fergus County, MT 31.0 Healthy -14.1
Phillips County, MT 27.9 Healthy -17.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Blaine County
Carson County, TX 45.1 Normal -0.0
Crockett County, TX 45.2 Normal +0.0
Harney County, OR 44.9 Normal -0.3
Sullivan County, MO 45.4 Normal +0.3
Deer Lodge County, MT 45.5 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Blaine 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 Blaine 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 Blaine County, Montana?

    Blaine County has a County Distress Index score of 45.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,890th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Blaine County?

    The primary driver of distress in Blaine County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 78.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Blaine County compare to neighboring counties?

    Blaine County (45.1) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Hill County, MT (43.8); Chouteau County, MT (33.7); Fergus County, MT (31.0).

  • 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 Normal 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). Blaine County's score of 45.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Blaine 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 Blaine County?

    Blaine County, Montana has a population of approximately 6,899 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.