Billings County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 14.6 | 1,034 people · 51st most distressed in North Dakota
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Billings County, ND ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 14.6 — 3137th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where household incomes are relatively strong and poverty rates are low. Within North Dakota, it ranks 51st of 53 counties. It scores lower 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. Billings County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 16.6 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 16.6
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 24
Income vs. State Median 23
Child Poverty Rate 34
Disability Rate 5
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Housing Cost Burden 15.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 14
Consumer Credit Distress 14.8
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 29
Auto Loan Delinquency 24
Credit Card Delinquency 17
Uninsured Rate 8
Subprime Credit Population 5
Legal Distress 14.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 14
Economic Vitality 9.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 22
House Price Change (YoY) 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Billings County
Billings County, ND 14.6 Healthy —
McKenzie County, ND 43.5 Normal +28.9
Stark County, ND 34.6 Healthy +20.0
Golden Valley County, ND 26.7 Healthy +12.1
Dunn County, ND 25.4 Healthy +10.9
Slope County, ND 22.1 Healthy +7.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Billings County
Hutchinson County, SD 14.4 Healthy -0.2
Bottineau County, ND 15.1 Healthy +0.5
McLean County, ND 15.1 Healthy +0.5
Hand County, SD 15.2 Healthy +0.6
Gray County, KS 15.3 Healthy +0.7

Download Data

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

Find Help in Billings County

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State Bar Association of North Dakota Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar Association of North Dakota Lawyer Referral Service 701-255-1404

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Legal aid organizations serving Billings County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of North Dakota 1-800-634-5263

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Billings County, North Dakota?

    Billings County has a County Distress Index score of 14.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,137th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 51st in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Billings County?

    The primary driver of distress in Billings County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 16.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Billings County compare to neighboring counties?

    Billings County (14.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: McKenzie County, ND (43.5); Stark County, ND (34.6); Golden Valley County, ND (26.7).

  • 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 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). Billings County's score of 14.6 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Billings 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 Billings County?

    Billings County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 1,034 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.