McCone County, Montana

County Distress Index: Healthy · 26.7 | 1,676 people · 50th most distressed in Montana
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McCone County, MT ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 26.7 — 2908th 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 50th of 56 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. McCone County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 77.2 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 77.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 94
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 8
House Price Change (YoY) 72
Structural Poverty 51.7
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 59
Income vs. State Median 62
Child Poverty Rate 56
Disability Rate 27
Transfer Income Dependency 50
Legal Distress 21.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 21
Consumer Credit Distress 18.9
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 64
Auto Loan Delinquency 16
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Uninsured Rate 27
Subprime Credit Population 5
Housing Cost Burden 8.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 36
Homeownership Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McCone County
McCone County, MT 26.7 Healthy —
Roosevelt County, MT 59.1 Elevated +32.4
Dawson County, MT 37.5 Normal +10.9
Valley County, MT 35.9 Normal +9.2
Richland County, MT 35.6 Normal +9.0
Prairie County, MT 33.6 Healthy +6.9
Garfield County, MT 32.5 Healthy +5.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McCone County
Custer County, CO 26.7 Healthy -0.0
Republic County, KS 26.7 Healthy +0.0
Golden Valley County, ND 26.7 Healthy +0.0
Meagher County, MT 26.7 Healthy +0.0
Butler County, NE 26.8 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in McCone 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 McCone 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 McCone County, Montana?

    McCone County has a County Distress Index score of 26.7 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,908th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 50th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McCone County?

    The primary driver of distress in McCone County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 77.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does McCone County compare to neighboring counties?

    McCone County (26.7) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Roosevelt County, MT (59.1); Dawson County, MT (37.5); 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). McCone County's score of 26.7 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    McCone 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 McCone County?

    McCone County, Montana has a population of approximately 1,676 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.