Cascade County, Montana

County Distress Index: Normal · 47.5 | 84,900 people · 21st most distressed in Montana
American Default Research

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Cascade County, MT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 47.5 — 1794th 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 21st of 56 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Cascade County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 67.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 67.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 70
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Employment & Wages 52.9
Unemployment Rate 49
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 40
Debt & Delinquency 44.1
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 58
Student Loan Delinquency 65
Auto Loan Delinquency 35
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33
Community Vulnerability 42.9
Uninsured Rate 37
Disability Rate 49
Income & Poverty 30.3
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 30
Child Poverty Rate 23

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Cascade County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Cascade County
Cascade County, MT 47.5 Normal —
Meagher County, MT 39.9 Normal -7.5
Chouteau County, MT 39.5 Normal -8.0
Judith Basin County, MT 37.1 Normal -10.4
Teton County, MT 36.8 Normal -10.7
Lewis and Clark County, MT 35.9 Normal -11.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Cascade County
Adams County, IL 47.5 Normal +0.0
Ashland County, OH 47.5 Normal +0.1
Tippecanoe County, IN 47.6 Normal +0.1
Whatcom County, WA 47.4 Normal -0.1
Tompkins County, NY 47.6 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cascade County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Cascade County.

MONTANA HOMEOWNERSHIP NETWORK DBA NEIGHBORWORKS MONTANA
Great Falls
406-604-4540 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPost-Purchase
NEIGHBORWORKS GREAT FALLS
Great Falls
406-761-5861
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFair Housing
RURAL DYNAMICS, INC. DBA CCCS OF MT
Great Falls
406-454-5709
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase

See all counselors in Montana →

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 Cascade 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Cascade County has a County Distress Index score of 47.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,794th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cascade County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cascade County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 67.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Cascade County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cascade County (47.5) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Meagher County, MT (39.9); Chouteau County, MT (39.5); Judith Basin County, MT (37.1).

  • 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 Cascade County?

    Cascade County, Montana has a population of approximately 84,900 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.