Roosevelt County, Montana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.1 | 10,319 people · 3rd most distressed in Montana
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Roosevelt County, MT registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.1 — 1016th 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 3rd of 56 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Roosevelt County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 82.8 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 82.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 77
Rent-to-Income Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 80
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Structural Poverty 77.0
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 83
Disability Rate 30
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Consumer Credit Distress 67.7
Debt in Collections 73
Medical Debt 60
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 74
Housing Cost Burden 37.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 21
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 47
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 76
Legal Distress 5.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Roosevelt County
Roosevelt County, MT 59.1 Elevated —
McKenzie County, ND 43.5 Normal -15.6
Sheridan County, MT 42.5 Normal -16.5
Williams County, ND 42.1 Normal -17.0
Valley County, MT 35.9 Normal -23.2
Richland County, MT 35.6 Normal -23.4
McCone County, MT 26.7 Healthy -32.4
Daniels County, MT 20.9 Healthy -38.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Roosevelt County
Franklin County, AL 59.1 Elevated 0.0
Franklin County, KS 59.1 Elevated +0.0
Hopkins County, KY 59.0 Elevated -0.0
Washington County, IN 59.0 Elevated -0.0
Johnston County, OK 59.1 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Roosevelt County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Roosevelt County.

GREAT NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Wolf Point
406-653-2590 Website

See all counselors in Montana →

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 Roosevelt County residents at no cost.

Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA) 1-800-666-6899

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Roosevelt County, Montana?

    Roosevelt County has a County Distress Index score of 59.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,016th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Roosevelt County?

    The primary driver of distress in Roosevelt County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 82.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Roosevelt County compare to neighboring counties?

    Roosevelt County (59.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: McKenzie County, ND (43.5); Sheridan County, MT (42.5); Williams County, ND (42.1).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Roosevelt County's score of 59.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Roosevelt 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 Roosevelt County?

    Roosevelt County, Montana has a population of approximately 10,319 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.