Butte County, South Dakota

County Distress Index: Normal · 40.2 | 10,863 people · 13th most distressed in South Dakota
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Butte County, SD falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 40.2 — 2184th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within South Dakota, it ranks 13th of 66 counties. It scores higher 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. Butte County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 67.0 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 67.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 17
Economic Vitality 61.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 51
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Structural Poverty 39.1
Unemployment Rate 5
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 68
Child Poverty Rate 36
Disability Rate 27
Transfer Income Dependency 42
Consumer Credit Distress 26.8
Debt in Collections 9
Medical Debt 7
Auto Loan Delinquency 31
Credit Card Delinquency 17
Uninsured Rate 90
Subprime Credit Population 39
Legal Distress 21.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Butte County
Butte County, SD 40.2 Normal —
Carter County, MT 31.3 Healthy -8.9
Lawrence County, SD 30.4 Healthy -9.8
Meade County, SD 25.4 Healthy -14.8
Perkins County, SD 23.4 Healthy -16.8
Crook County, WY 22.7 Healthy -17.5
Harding County, SD 18.3 Healthy -21.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Butte County
Dawson County, NE 40.2 Normal +0.0
Nez Perce County, ID 40.2 Normal +0.0
Union County, GA 40.2 Normal -0.0
Dickinson County, MI 40.3 Normal +0.0
Sevier County, UT 40.3 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Butte County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service 605-224-7554

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Butte County residents at no cost.

East River Legal Services 1-800-952-3015
Dakota Plains Legal Services 1-800-658-2297

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Butte County, South Dakota?

    Butte County has a County Distress Index score of 40.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,184th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 13th in South Dakota out of 66 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Butte County?

    The primary driver of distress in Butte County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 67.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Butte County compare to neighboring counties?

    Butte County (40.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Carter County, MT (31.3); Lawrence County, SD (30.4); Meade County, SD (25.4).

  • 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). Butte County's score of 40.2 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Butte 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 Butte County?

    Butte County, South Dakota has a population of approximately 10,863 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.