Jefferson County, Montana

County Distress Index: Healthy · 16.5 | 13,048 people · 56th most distressed in Montana
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Jefferson County, MT ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 16.5 — 3120th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Montana, it ranks 56th of 56 counties. It scores lower 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. Jefferson County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 51.9 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 51.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Rent-to-Income Ratio 37
Business Formation Rate 9
House Price Change (YoY) 22
Structural Poverty 23.1
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 9
Disability Rate 61
Transfer Income Dependency 23
Housing Cost Burden 14.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 7
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 78
Homeownership Rate 7
Consumer Credit Distress 10.7
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Uninsured Rate 19
Subprime Credit Population 5
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, MT 16.5 Healthy —
Silver Bow County, MT 51.3 Elevated +34.8
Deer Lodge County, MT 45.5 Normal +28.9
Broadwater County, MT 36.9 Normal +20.4
Gallatin County, MT 36.3 Normal +19.8
Lewis and Clark County, MT 34.4 Healthy +17.9
Powell County, MT 32.9 Healthy +16.4
Madison County, MT 28.5 Healthy +11.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jefferson County
Grundy County, IA 16.6 Healthy +0.1
Winneshiek County, IA 16.2 Healthy -0.3
Lincoln County, WY 17.1 Healthy +0.5
Mitchell County, IA 17.5 Healthy +1.0
Holt County, NE 17.7 Healthy +1.2

Download Data

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

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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

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, Montana?

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 16.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,120th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 51.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (16.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Silver Bow County, MT (51.3); Deer Lodge County, MT (45.5); Broadwater County, MT (36.9).

  • 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). Jefferson County's score of 16.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, Montana has a population of approximately 13,048 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.