Chouteau County, Montana

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.7 | 5,847 people · 32nd most distressed in Montana
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Chouteau County, MT ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.7 — 2543rd 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 32nd of 56 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Chouteau County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 78.8 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 78.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 42
House Price Change (YoY) 72
Structural Poverty 38.9
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 57
Disability Rate 23
Transfer Income Dependency 33
Consumer Credit Distress 31.4
Debt in Collections 50
Medical Debt 37
Auto Loan Delinquency 12
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Uninsured Rate 28
Subprime Credit Population 18
Legal Distress 28.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 29
Housing Cost Burden 18.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 7
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 82

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Chouteau County
Chouteau County, MT 33.7 Healthy —
Blaine County, MT 45.1 Normal +11.4
Cascade County, MT 44.7 Normal +11.0
Hill County, MT 43.8 Normal +10.1
Pondera County, MT 33.5 Healthy -0.2
Fergus County, MT 31.0 Healthy -2.7
Judith Basin County, MT 29.7 Healthy -4.0
Liberty County, MT 29.6 Healthy -4.1
Teton County, MT 25.5 Healthy -8.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Chouteau County
Grant County, ND 33.7 Healthy 0.0
Kane County, UT 33.7 Healthy 0.0
Dolores County, CO 33.7 Healthy +0.0
Edwards County, KS 33.7 Healthy -0.0
Yuma County, CO 33.7 Healthy -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chouteau County

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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

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Legal aid organizations serving Chouteau 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 Chouteau County, Montana?

    Chouteau County has a County Distress Index score of 33.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,543rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chouteau County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chouteau County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 78.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Chouteau County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chouteau County (33.7) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Blaine County, MT (45.1); Cascade County, MT (44.7); Hill County, MT (43.8).

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

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

    Chouteau 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 Chouteau County?

    Chouteau County, Montana has a population of approximately 5,847 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.