Pondera County, Montana

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.5 | 6,125 people · 35th most distressed in Montana
American Default Research

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Pondera County, MT ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.5 — 2559th 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 35th of 56 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Pondera County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 80.6 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 80.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 34
House Price Change (YoY) 88
Structural Poverty 63.6
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 71
Transfer Income Dependency 28
Housing Cost Burden 22.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 13
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 8
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 24
Homeownership Rate 81
Consumer Credit Distress 22.7
Debt in Collections 22
Medical Debt 47
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Uninsured Rate 45
Subprime Credit Population 15
Legal Distress 21.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 21

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Pondera County
Pondera County, MT 33.5 Healthy —
Glacier County, MT 66.2 Serious +32.6
Flathead County, MT 38.3 Normal +4.8
Toole County, MT 34.9 Healthy +1.3
Chouteau County, MT 33.7 Healthy +0.2
Liberty County, MT 29.6 Healthy -3.9
Teton County, MT 25.5 Healthy -8.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Pondera County
Yakutat City and Borough, AK 33.5 Healthy 0.0
Adair County, IA 33.6 Healthy +0.0
Prairie County, MT 33.6 Healthy +0.0
Beaverhead County, MT 33.6 Healthy +0.1
Yuma County, CO 33.7 Healthy +0.1

Download Data

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

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State Bar of Montana Lawyer Referral Service 406-442-7660

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Legal aid organizations serving Pondera 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 Pondera County, Montana?

    Pondera County has a County Distress Index score of 33.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,559th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Pondera County?

    The primary driver of distress in Pondera County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 80.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Pondera County compare to neighboring counties?

    Pondera County (33.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Glacier County, MT (66.2); Flathead County, MT (38.3); Toole County, MT (34.9).

  • 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). Pondera County's score of 33.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Pondera 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 Pondera County?

    Pondera County, Montana has a population of approximately 6,125 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.