Missoula County, Montana

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.5 | 121,849 people · 17th most distressed in Montana
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Missoula County, MT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.5 — 2162nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Montana, it ranks 17th of 56 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Missoula County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 84.4 — worse than roughly 84% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 84.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 82
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 93
Economic Vitality 72.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 89
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Business Formation Rate 1
House Price Change (YoY) 75
Legal Distress 31.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 31
Consumer Credit Distress 21.3
Debt in Collections 19
Medical Debt 42
Auto Loan Delinquency 10
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Uninsured Rate 34
Subprime Credit Population 15
Structural Poverty 19.3
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 32
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 9
Disability Rate 19
Transfer Income Dependency 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Missoula County
Missoula County, MT 40.5 Normal —
Sanders County, MT 50.1 Elevated +9.6
Mineral County, MT 47.7 Normal +7.1
Clearwater County, ID 40.5 Normal +0.0
Lake County, MT 39.4 Normal -1.1
Flathead County, MT 38.3 Normal -2.2
Granite County, MT 35.8 Normal -4.7
Ravalli County, MT 34.0 Healthy -6.6
Idaho County, ID 33.5 Healthy -7.0
Powell County, MT 32.9 Healthy -7.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Missoula County
Clallam County, WA 40.5 Normal -0.0
Tompkins County, NY 40.4 Normal -0.1
St. Mary's County, MD 40.8 Normal +0.2
Napa County, CA 40.8 Normal +0.3
Deschutes County, OR 40.3 Normal -0.3

Download Data

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

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HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

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HOMEWORD, INC.
Missoula
406-532-4663
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Find an Attorney

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 Missoula 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 Missoula County, Montana?

    Missoula County has a County Distress Index score of 40.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,162nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Missoula County?

    The primary driver of distress in Missoula County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 84.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Missoula County compare to neighboring counties?

    Missoula County (40.5) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Sanders County, MT (50.1); Mineral County, MT (47.7); Clearwater County, ID (40.5).

  • 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). Missoula County's score of 40.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Missoula 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 Missoula County?

    Missoula County, Montana has a population of approximately 121,849 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.