Broadwater County, Montana

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.8 | 8,032 people · 44th most distressed in Montana
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Broadwater County, MT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.8 — 2499th 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 Montana, it ranks 44th of 56 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Broadwater County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 77.0 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 77.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 95
Homeownership Rate 10
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Employment & Wages 41.3
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 6
Community Vulnerability 39.0
Uninsured Rate 36
Disability Rate 42
Debt & Delinquency 17.8
Debt in Collections 7
Medical Debt 30
Student Loan Delinquency 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 19
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 16
Income & Poverty 13.7
Poverty Rate 11
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Broadwater County
Broadwater County, MT 37.8 Normal —
Meagher County, MT 39.9 Normal +2.2
Lewis and Clark County, MT 35.9 Normal -1.9
Gallatin County, MT 34.6 Healthy -3.2
Jefferson County, MT 26.4 Healthy -11.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Broadwater County
Camas County, ID 37.8 Normal +0.0
Wabaunsee County, KS 37.8 Normal +0.0
Norman County, MN 37.8 Normal +0.0
Morrill County, NE 37.6 Normal -0.1
Atchison County, MO 37.9 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Broadwater County

Find an Attorney

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

State Bar of Montana Lawyer Referral Service 406-442-7660

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Broadwater County residents at no cost.

Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA) 1-800-666-6899

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

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Montana →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Broadwater County, Montana?

    Broadwater County has a County Distress Index score of 37.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,499th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Broadwater County?

    The primary driver of distress in Broadwater County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 77.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Broadwater County compare to neighboring counties?

    Broadwater County (37.8) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Meagher County, MT (39.9); Lewis and Clark County, MT (35.9); Gallatin County, MT (34.6).

  • 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 Broadwater County?

    Broadwater County, Montana has a population of approximately 8,032 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.