Sargent County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 19.3 | 3,776 people · 39th most distressed in North Dakota
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Sargent County, ND ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 19.3 — 3087th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are below the national average. Within North Dakota, it ranks 39th of 53 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sargent County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 25.6 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 25.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 26
Consumer Credit Distress 21.2
Debt in Collections 23
Medical Debt 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 24
Credit Card Delinquency 28
Uninsured Rate 9
Subprime Credit Population 7
Economic Vitality 17.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 75
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Structural Poverty 16.7
Unemployment Rate 5
Poverty Rate 11
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 12
Disability Rate 21
Transfer Income Dependency 13
Housing Cost Burden 15.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 7
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 12
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 53

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sargent County
Sargent County, ND 19.3 Healthy —
Roberts County, SD 39.8 Normal +20.5
Richland County, ND 35.3 Normal +16.0
Brown County, SD 32.6 Healthy +13.3
Ransom County, ND 20.8 Healthy +1.5
Marshall County, SD 20.5 Healthy +1.2
Dickey County, ND 19.8 Healthy +0.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sargent County
Cuming County, NE 19.4 Healthy +0.1
Denali Borough, AK 19.3 Healthy -0.1
Nelson County, ND 19.2 Healthy -0.1
Bon Homme County, SD 19.4 Healthy +0.1
Ida County, IA 19.2 Healthy -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sargent 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 Sargent 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 Sargent County, North Dakota?

    Sargent County has a County Distress Index score of 19.3 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,087th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sargent County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sargent County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 25.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Sargent County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sargent County (19.3) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Roberts County, SD (39.8); Richland County, ND (35.3); Brown County, SD (32.6).

  • 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). Sargent County's score of 19.3 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Sargent 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 Sargent County?

    Sargent County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 3,776 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.