Rolette County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.1 | 11,728 people · 1st most distressed in North Dakota
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Rolette County, ND registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.1 — 1144th 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 North Dakota, it ranks 1st of 53 counties. It scores higher than all 3 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Rolette County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 81.8 — worse than roughly 82% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 81.8
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 93
Income vs. State Median 93
Child Poverty Rate 79
Disability Rate 68
Transfer Income Dependency 78
Consumer Credit Distress 76.8
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 28
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 95
Subprime Credit Population 82
Economic Vitality 33.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 40
Business Formation Rate 63
House Price Change (YoY) 19
Housing Cost Burden 26.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 7
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 84
Legal Distress 6.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 7

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Rolette County
Rolette County, ND 57.1 Elevated —
Pierce County, ND 29.8 Healthy -27.3
Towner County, ND 19.9 Healthy -37.2
Bottineau County, ND 15.1 Healthy -42.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Rolette County
Union County, TN 57.0 Elevated -0.1
Obion County, TN 56.9 Elevated -0.1
Owen County, KY 56.9 Elevated -0.2
Washita County, OK 57.2 Elevated +0.2
Lawrence County, TN 56.9 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Rolette County

Find an Attorney

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 Rolette County residents at no cost.

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

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in North Dakota →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Rolette County has a County Distress Index score of 57.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,144th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 1st in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Rolette County?

    The primary driver of distress in Rolette County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 81.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Rolette County compare to neighboring counties?

    Rolette County (57.1) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: Pierce County, ND (29.8); Towner County, ND (19.9); Bottineau County, ND (15.1).

  • 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). Rolette County's score of 57.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Rolette 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 Rolette County?

    Rolette County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 11,728 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.