Steele County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 13.5 | 1,782 people · 52nd most distressed in North Dakota
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Steele County, ND ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 13.5 — 3139th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages keep pace with costs, business formation is healthy, and the local economy shows resilience. Within North Dakota, it ranks 52nd 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. Steele County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 22.1 — above the national median.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 22.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 19
Consumer Credit Distress 14.8
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 29
Auto Loan Delinquency 24
Credit Card Delinquency 17
Uninsured Rate 7
Subprime Credit Population 5
Legal Distress 12.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 12
Structural Poverty 11.3
Unemployment Rate 8
Poverty Rate 9
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 14
Disability Rate 7
Transfer Income Dependency 11
Housing Cost Burden 9.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Steele County
Steele County, ND 13.5 Healthy —
Grand Forks County, ND 35.7 Normal +22.2
Cass County, ND 33.7 Healthy +20.2
Barnes County, ND 33.1 Healthy +19.6
Traill County, ND 20.0 Healthy +6.5
Nelson County, ND 19.2 Healthy +5.7
Griggs County, ND 18.3 Healthy +4.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Steele County
Hutchinson County, SD 14.4 Healthy +0.9
Billings County, ND 14.6 Healthy +1.1
LaMoure County, ND 12.3 Healthy -1.2
Bottineau County, ND 15.1 Healthy +1.6
Hanson County, SD 11.9 Healthy -1.6

Download Data

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

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Steele County has a County Distress Index score of 13.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,139th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 52nd in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Steele County?

    The primary driver of distress in Steele County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 22.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Steele County compare to neighboring counties?

    Steele County (13.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Grand Forks County, ND (35.7); Cass County, ND (33.7); Barnes County, ND (33.1).

  • 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 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). Steele County's score of 13.5 sits in the Healthy zone (below 46).

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

    Steele 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 Steele County?

    Steele County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 1,782 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.