Big Stone County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Normal · 36.1 | 5,105 people · 48th most distressed in Minnesota
American Default Research

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Big Stone County, MN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 36.1 — 2583rd 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 48th of 87 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Big Stone County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 66.0 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 66.0
Unemployment Rate 83
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Business Formation Rate 95
Income & Poverty 49.7
Poverty Rate 36
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 33
Housing Cost Burden 34.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 41
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 26
Homeownership Rate 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 26
Community Vulnerability 18.1
Uninsured Rate 5
Disability Rate 31
Debt & Delinquency 12.2
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 7
Student Loan Delinquency 16
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 35

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Big Stone County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Big Stone County
Big Stone County, MN 36.1 Normal —
Roberts County, SD 47.7 Normal +11.6
Swift County, MN 43.5 Normal +7.4
Traverse County, MN 35.3 Normal -0.9
Lac qui Parle County, MN 31.5 Healthy -4.6
Grant County, SD 30.1 Healthy -6.0
Stevens County, MN 25.9 Healthy -10.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Big Stone County
Ballard County, KY 36.2 Normal +0.0
Wichita County, KS 36.1 Normal -0.1
Lake of the Woods County, MN 36.3 Normal +0.2
Keokuk County, IA 36.3 Normal +0.2
Rawlins County, KS 36.4 Normal +0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Big Stone County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Big Stone 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 Big Stone 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 Big Stone County, Minnesota?

    Big Stone County has a County Distress Index score of 36.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,583rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in Minnesota out of 87 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Big Stone County?

    The primary driver of distress in Big Stone County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 66.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Big Stone County compare to neighboring counties?

    Big Stone County (36.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Roberts County, SD (47.7); Swift County, MN (43.5); Traverse County, MN (35.3).

  • 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 Big Stone County?

    Big Stone County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 5,105 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.