Prairie County, Montana

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.6 | 1,112 people · 34th most distressed in Montana
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Prairie County, MT ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.6 — 2555th 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 34th of 56 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Prairie County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 93.0 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 93.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 72
Structural Poverty 56.4
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 78
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 57
Transfer Income Dependency 69
Housing Cost Burden 39.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 9
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 7
Homeownership Rate 40
Legal Distress 21.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 21
Consumer Credit Distress 14.6
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 33
Auto Loan Delinquency 16
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Uninsured Rate 26
Subprime Credit Population 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Prairie County
Prairie County, MT 33.6 Healthy —
Custer County, MT 49.9 Normal +16.3
Dawson County, MT 37.5 Normal +4.0
Wibaux County, MT 33.1 Healthy -0.5
Garfield County, MT 32.5 Healthy -1.0
Fallon County, MT 27.4 Healthy -6.2
McCone County, MT 26.7 Healthy -6.9

Population Peers

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

Download Data

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

Find Help in Prairie 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 Prairie 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 Prairie County, Montana?

    Prairie County has a County Distress Index score of 33.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,555th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Prairie County?

    The primary driver of distress in Prairie County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 93.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Prairie County compare to neighboring counties?

    Prairie County (33.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Custer County, MT (49.9); Dawson County, MT (37.5); Wibaux County, MT (33.1).

  • 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). Prairie County's score of 33.6 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Prairie 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 Prairie County?

    Prairie County, Montana has a population of approximately 1,112 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.