Sweetwater County, Wyoming

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.5 | 41,249 people · 6th most distressed in Wyoming
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Sweetwater County, WY falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.5 — 1750th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Wyoming, it ranks 6th of 23 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 7 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Sweetwater County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 70.4 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 70.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 70
Consumer Credit Distress 61.6
Debt in Collections 68
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 53
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Uninsured Rate 81
Subprime Credit Population 47
Housing Cost Burden 37.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 37
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 34
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 23
Homeownership Rate 52
Structural Poverty 30.3
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 31
Child Poverty Rate 17
Disability Rate 47
Transfer Income Dependency 13
Economic Vitality 6.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 1
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Business Formation Rate 8
House Price Change (YoY) 38

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Sweetwater County
Sweetwater County, WY 47.5 Normal —
Fremont County, WY 52.2 Elevated +4.8
Moffat County, CO 42.2 Normal -5.3
Uinta County, WY 41.0 Normal -6.5
Carbon County, WY 34.0 Healthy -13.4
Sublette County, WY 33.8 Healthy -13.6
Daggett County, UT 25.3 Healthy -22.2
Summit County, UT 20.6 Healthy -26.8
Lincoln County, WY 17.1 Healthy -30.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Sweetwater County
Gratiot County, MI 47.5 Normal +0.0
Warren County, MO 47.4 Normal -0.1
Marion County, AR 47.6 Normal +0.1
Iron County, MI 47.6 Normal +0.1
Noble County, IN 47.3 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sweetwater County

Find an Attorney

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

Wyoming State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 307-632-9061

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Sweetwater County residents at no cost.

Wyoming Legal Services 1-877-432-9955
Legal Aid of Wyoming, Inc. (307) 432-0807

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Sweetwater County, Wyoming?

    Sweetwater County has a County Distress Index score of 47.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,750th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in Wyoming out of 23 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sweetwater County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sweetwater County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 70.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Sweetwater County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sweetwater County (47.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Fremont County, WY (52.2); Moffat County, CO (42.2); Uinta County, WY (41.0).

  • 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). Sweetwater County's score of 47.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Sweetwater 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 Sweetwater County?

    Sweetwater County, Wyoming has a population of approximately 41,249 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.