Bottineau County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 15.1 | 6,349 people · 50th most distressed in North Dakota
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Bottineau County, ND ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 15.1 — 3136th 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 50th of 53 counties. It scores lower than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bottineau County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 27.7 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 27.7
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 27
Income vs. State Median 44
Child Poverty Rate 17
Disability Rate 24
Transfer Income Dependency 28
Legal Distress 16.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16
Consumer Credit Distress 13.2
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 12
Credit Card Delinquency 26
Uninsured Rate 45
Subprime Credit Population 5
Housing Cost Burden 12.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 17
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 22
Economic Vitality 11.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 8
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 36
House Price Change (YoY) 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bottineau County
Bottineau County, ND 15.1 Healthy —
Rolette County, ND 57.1 Elevated +42.0
Pierce County, ND 29.8 Healthy +14.7
McHenry County, ND 17.0 Healthy +1.9
Renville County, ND 16.4 Healthy +1.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bottineau County
McLean County, ND 15.1 Healthy +0.0
Hand County, SD 15.2 Healthy +0.1
Gray County, KS 15.3 Healthy +0.2
Edmunds County, SD 15.4 Healthy +0.3
Boone County, NE 15.5 Healthy +0.4

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bottineau 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 Bottineau 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 Bottineau County, North Dakota?

    Bottineau County has a County Distress Index score of 15.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,136th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 50th in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bottineau County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bottineau County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 27.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Bottineau County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bottineau County (15.1) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Rolette County, ND (57.1); Pierce County, ND (29.8); McHenry County, ND (17.0).

  • 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). Bottineau County's score of 15.1 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Bottineau 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 Bottineau County?

    Bottineau County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 6,349 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.