Sanders County, Montana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.1 | 13,684 people · 7th most distressed in Montana
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Sanders County, MT registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.1 — 1565th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Montana, it ranks 7th of 56 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

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

Structural Poverty Primary driver 77.3
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 58
Income vs. State Median 70
Child Poverty Rate 63
Disability Rate 91
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Housing Cost Burden 75.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 28
Homeownership Rate 19
Economic Vitality 61.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 77
Business Formation Rate 21
House Price Change (YoY) 14
Legal Distress 33.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 34
Consumer Credit Distress 30.8
Debt in Collections 21
Medical Debt 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 50
Credit Card Delinquency 9
Uninsured Rate 83
Subprime Credit Population 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sanders County
Sanders County, MT 50.1 Elevated —
Shoshone County, ID 56.8 Elevated +6.7
Mineral County, MT 47.7 Normal -2.5
Lincoln County, MT 42.8 Normal -7.3
Missoula County, MT 40.5 Normal -9.6
Lake County, MT 39.4 Normal -10.7
Flathead County, MT 38.3 Normal -11.9
Bonner County, ID 33.7 Healthy -16.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sanders County
Calaveras County, CA 50.1 Elevated -0.0
Louisa County, VA 50.2 Elevated +0.1
Union County, OR 50.1 Elevated -0.1
Crawford County, MI 50.0 Elevated -0.1
Andrews County, TX 50.3 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sanders 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 Sanders 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 Sanders County, Montana?

    Sanders County has a County Distress Index score of 50.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,565th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sanders County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sanders County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 77.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Sanders County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sanders County (50.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Shoshone County, ID (56.8); Mineral County, MT (47.7); Lincoln County, MT (42.8).

  • 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). Sanders County's score of 50.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Sanders 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 Sanders County?

    Sanders County, Montana has a population of approximately 13,684 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.