Custer County, Montana

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.9 | 11,985 people · 8th most distressed in Montana
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Custer County, MT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.9 — 1584th 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 8th of 56 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Custer County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 80.3 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 80.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 18
House Price Change (YoY) 82
Housing Cost Burden 57.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 40
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 70
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 43
Homeownership Rate 76
Consumer Credit Distress 45.7
Debt in Collections 39
Medical Debt 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 44
Uninsured Rate 45
Subprime Credit Population 30
Structural Poverty 44.3
Unemployment Rate 19
Poverty Rate 50
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 27
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 32
Legal Distress 27.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 27

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Custer County
Custer County, MT 49.9 Normal —
Rosebud County, MT 53.9 Elevated +4.1
Prairie County, MT 33.6 Healthy -16.3
Garfield County, MT 32.5 Healthy -17.3
Carter County, MT 31.3 Healthy -18.5
Fallon County, MT 27.4 Healthy -22.5
Powder River County, MT 21.5 Healthy -28.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Custer County
Franklin County, TN 49.8 Normal -0.0
Mariposa County, CA 49.9 Normal +0.1
Jefferson County, IA 49.8 Normal -0.1
Comanche County, TX 49.8 Normal -0.1
Graham County, AZ 50.0 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

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

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Legal aid organizations serving Custer 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 Custer County, Montana?

    Custer County has a County Distress Index score of 49.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,584th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Custer County?

    The primary driver of distress in Custer County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 80.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Custer County compare to neighboring counties?

    Custer County (49.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Rosebud County, MT (53.9); Prairie County, MT (33.6); Garfield County, MT (32.5).

  • 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). Custer County's score of 49.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Custer 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 Custer County?

    Custer County, Montana has a population of approximately 11,985 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.