Wheatland County, Montana

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.5 | 2,057 people · 22nd most distressed in Montana
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Wheatland County, MT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.5 — 2392nd 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 22nd of 56 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Wheatland County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 78.2 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 78.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 43
House Price Change (YoY) 72
Structural Poverty 69.1
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 14
Transfer Income Dependency 64
Legal Distress 58.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 59
Consumer Credit Distress 27.7
Debt in Collections 17
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 16
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Uninsured Rate 94
Subprime Credit Population 7
Housing Cost Burden 10.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Wheatland County
Wheatland County, MT 36.5 Normal —
Golden Valley County, MT 36.3 Normal -0.2
Fergus County, MT 31.0 Healthy -5.5
Judith Basin County, MT 29.7 Healthy -6.7
Meagher County, MT 26.7 Healthy -9.7
Sweet Grass County, MT 22.2 Healthy -14.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Wheatland County
Cloud County, KS 36.5 Normal -0.0
Webster County, NE 36.5 Normal +0.0
Wahkiakum County, WA 36.4 Normal -0.0
Grant County, KS 36.5 Normal +0.1
Audubon County, IA 36.6 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

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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

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Legal aid organizations serving Wheatland 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 Wheatland County, Montana?

    Wheatland County has a County Distress Index score of 36.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,392nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wheatland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wheatland County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 78.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Wheatland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wheatland County (36.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Golden Valley County, MT (36.3); Fergus County, MT (31.0); Judith Basin County, MT (29.7).

  • 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). Wheatland County's score of 36.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Wheatland 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 Wheatland County?

    Wheatland County, Montana has a population of approximately 2,057 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.