Williams County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.1 | 39,113 people · 4th most distressed in North Dakota
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Williams County, ND falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.1 — 2062nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within North Dakota, it ranks 4th of 53 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Williams County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 69.0 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 69.0
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 67
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 71
Legal Distress 33.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33
Housing Cost Burden 24.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 15
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 6
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 14
Homeownership Rate 95
Structural Poverty 7.6
Unemployment Rate 10
Poverty Rate 6
Income vs. State Median 12
Child Poverty Rate 6
Disability Rate 11
Transfer Income Dependency 1
Economic Vitality 4.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 1
Rent-to-Income Ratio 4
Business Formation Rate 8
House Price Change (YoY) 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Williams County
Williams County, ND 42.1 Normal —
Roosevelt County, MT 59.1 Elevated +17.0
McKenzie County, ND 43.5 Normal +1.4
Sheridan County, MT 42.5 Normal +0.5
Mountrail County, ND 39.8 Normal -2.3
Richland County, MT 35.6 Normal -6.4
Divide County, ND 24.3 Healthy -17.8
Burke County, ND 17.6 Healthy -24.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Williams County
Mille Lacs County, MN 42.1 Normal +0.0
Gasconade County, MO 42.1 Normal +0.0
Moffat County, CO 42.2 Normal +0.1
Page County, IA 42.0 Normal -0.1
Polk County, NC 42.2 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Williams 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 Williams 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 Williams County, North Dakota?

    Williams County has a County Distress Index score of 42.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,062nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Williams County?

    The primary driver of distress in Williams County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 69.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Williams County compare to neighboring counties?

    Williams County (42.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Roosevelt County, MT (59.1); McKenzie County, ND (43.5); Sheridan County, MT (42.5).

  • 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). Williams County's score of 42.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Williams 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 Williams County?

    Williams County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 39,113 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.