Benton County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Normal · 42.7 | 41,600 people · 17th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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Benton County, MN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 42.7 — 2163rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where unemployment is elevated, wages are low relative to housing costs, and business formation lags. Within Minnesota, it ranks 17th of 87 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Benton County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 69.5 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 69.5
Unemployment Rate 91
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 60
Housing Cost Burden 55.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 33
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 78
Rent-to-Income Ratio 32
Income & Poverty 40.3
Poverty Rate 51
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 30
Debt & Delinquency 35.9
Debt in Collections 23
Medical Debt 16
Student Loan Delinquency 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 20
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Community Vulnerability 12.6
Uninsured Rate 7
Disability Rate 18

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Benton County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Benton County
Benton County, MN 42.7 Normal —
Mille Lacs County, MN 46.5 Normal +3.9
Stearns County, MN 38.2 Normal -4.5
Morrison County, MN 33.9 Healthy -8.8
Sherburne County, MN 31.1 Healthy -11.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Benton County
Bureau County, IL 42.6 Normal -0.0
Gillespie County, TX 42.7 Normal +0.0
Wabash County, IN 42.6 Normal -0.1
Clinton County, MO 42.6 Normal -0.1
Iroquois County, IL 42.6 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Benton County

Find an Attorney

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

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 612-278-6333

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Benton County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis 612-334-5970
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid 612-332-1441
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services 1-888-575-2954
Central Minnesota Legal Services, Inc. (612) 334-5970
Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (800) 933-1112
Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota Corporation (800) 450-8585

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Benton County, Minnesota?

    Benton County has a County Distress Index score of 42.7 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,163rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Benton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Benton County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 69.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Benton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Benton County (42.7) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Mille Lacs County, MN (46.5); Stearns County, MN (38.2); Morrison County, MN (33.9).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Benton County?

    Benton County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 41,600 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.