Garfield County, Montana

County Distress Index: Healthy · 32.5 | 1,211 people · 38th most distressed in Montana
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Garfield County, MT ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 32.5 — 2611th 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 38th of 56 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Garfield County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 78.5 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 78.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Business Formation Rate 43
House Price Change (YoY) 72
Structural Poverty 56.3
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 76
Child Poverty Rate 71
Disability Rate 28
Transfer Income Dependency 51
Legal Distress 27.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 27
Consumer Credit Distress 23.0
Debt in Collections 18
Medical Debt 48
Auto Loan Delinquency 16
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Uninsured Rate 70
Subprime Credit Population 5
Housing Cost Burden 21.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 11
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 12
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 69

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Garfield County
Garfield County, MT 32.5 Healthy —
Rosebud County, MT 53.9 Elevated +21.4
Custer County, MT 49.9 Normal +17.3
Valley County, MT 35.9 Normal +3.4
Prairie County, MT 33.6 Healthy +1.0
Petroleum County, MT 31.1 Healthy -1.5
Phillips County, MT 27.9 Healthy -4.6
McCone County, MT 26.7 Healthy -5.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Garfield County
Wayne County, IA 32.5 Healthy 0.0
Alpine County, CA 32.6 Healthy +0.0
Copper River Census Area, AK 32.4 Healthy -0.1
Kingman County, KS 32.4 Healthy -0.1
Kalawao County, HI 32.4 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Garfield 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 Garfield 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 Garfield County, Montana?

    Garfield County has a County Distress Index score of 32.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,611th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Garfield County?

    The primary driver of distress in Garfield County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 78.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Garfield County compare to neighboring counties?

    Garfield County (32.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Rosebud County, MT (53.9); Custer County, MT (49.9); Valley County, MT (35.9).

  • 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). Garfield County's score of 32.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Garfield 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 Garfield County?

    Garfield County, Montana has a population of approximately 1,211 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.