Mountrail County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.8 | 9,383 people · 5th most distressed in North Dakota
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Mountrail County, ND falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.8 — 2202nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within North Dakota, it ranks 5th of 53 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Mountrail County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 62.8 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 62.8
Debt in Collections 44
Medical Debt 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 75
Credit Card Delinquency 64
Uninsured Rate 91
Subprime Credit Population 78
Structural Poverty 26.9
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 34
Income vs. State Median 47
Child Poverty Rate 34
Disability Rate 32
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Housing Cost Burden 21.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 7
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 11
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 93
Economic Vitality 10.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 15
Business Formation Rate 15
House Price Change (YoY) 19
Legal Distress 6.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Mountrail County
Mountrail County, ND 39.8 Normal —
McKenzie County, ND 43.5 Normal +3.7
Williams County, ND 42.1 Normal +2.3
Ward County, ND 37.5 Normal -2.3
Dunn County, ND 25.4 Healthy -14.4
Burke County, ND 17.6 Healthy -22.3
McLean County, ND 15.1 Healthy -24.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Mountrail County
Ottawa County, KS 39.8 Normal +0.0
Putnam County, MO 39.8 Normal -0.0
Van Buren County, IA 39.8 Normal -0.0
Wilson County, KS 40.0 Normal +0.2
Mason County, TX 40.1 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Mountrail 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

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Mountrail 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 Mountrail County, North Dakota?

    Mountrail County has a County Distress Index score of 39.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,202nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Mountrail County?

    The primary driver of distress in Mountrail County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 62.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Mountrail County compare to neighboring counties?

    Mountrail County (39.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: McKenzie County, ND (43.5); Williams County, ND (42.1); Ward County, ND (37.5).

  • 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). Mountrail County's score of 39.8 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Mountrail 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 Mountrail County?

    Mountrail County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 9,383 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.