Judith Basin County, Montana

County Distress Index: Healthy · 29.7 | 2,093 people · 44th most distressed in Montana
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Judith Basin County, MT ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 29.7 — 2773rd 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 44th of 56 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Judith Basin County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 69.9 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 69.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 76
Business Formation Rate 11
House Price Change (YoY) 72
Structural Poverty 43.1
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 51
Income vs. State Median 61
Child Poverty Rate 57
Disability Rate 12
Transfer Income Dependency 31
Consumer Credit Distress 23.5
Debt in Collections 38
Medical Debt 42
Auto Loan Delinquency 16
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Uninsured Rate 34
Subprime Credit Population 5
Housing Cost Burden 21.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 45
Legal Distress 21.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Judith Basin County
Judith Basin County, MT 29.7 Healthy —
Cascade County, MT 44.7 Normal +15.0
Wheatland County, MT 36.5 Normal +6.7
Chouteau County, MT 33.7 Healthy +4.0
Fergus County, MT 31.0 Healthy +1.3
Meagher County, MT 26.7 Healthy -3.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Judith Basin County
Wichita County, KS 29.8 Healthy +0.0
Pierce County, ND 29.8 Healthy +0.0
Liberty County, MT 29.6 Healthy -0.1
Valley County, NE 29.6 Healthy -0.1
San Miguel County, CO 29.6 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Judith Basin County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Judith Basin 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

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Judith Basin 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 Judith Basin County, Montana?

    Judith Basin County has a County Distress Index score of 29.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,773rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Judith Basin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Judith Basin County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 69.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Judith Basin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Judith Basin County (29.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Cascade County, MT (44.7); Wheatland County, MT (36.5); Chouteau County, MT (33.7).

  • 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). Judith Basin County's score of 29.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

  • What data sources power Judith Basin County's CDI score?

    Judith Basin 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 Judith Basin County?

    Judith Basin County, Montana has a population of approximately 2,093 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.