Deer Lodge County, Montana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.2 | 9,673 people · 17th most distressed in Montana
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Deer Lodge County, MT registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.2 — 1578th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within Montana, it ranks 17th of 56 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Deer Lodge County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 66.6 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 66.6
Uninsured Rate 38
Disability Rate 95
Housing Cost Burden 64.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 94
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 30
Homeownership Rate 72
Rent-to-Income Ratio 66
Income & Poverty 46.3
Poverty Rate 46
Income vs. State Median 62
Child Poverty Rate 31
Employment & Wages 46.1
Unemployment Rate 76
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Business Formation Rate 18
Debt & Delinquency 28.1
Debt in Collections 49
Medical Debt 43
Student Loan Delinquency 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 12
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Deer Lodge County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Deer Lodge County
Deer Lodge County, MT 50.2 Elevated —
Silver Bow County, MT 57.0 Elevated +6.8
Powell County, MT 49.6 Normal -0.6
Ravalli County, MT 43.7 Normal -6.5
Granite County, MT 42.9 Normal -7.3
Beaverhead County, MT 38.6 Normal -11.7
Jefferson County, MT 26.4 Healthy -23.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Deer Lodge County
Schleicher County, TX 50.2 Elevated -0.0
Pocahontas County, WV 50.2 Elevated -0.0
Oldham County, TX 50.3 Elevated +0.0
Harding County, NM 50.3 Elevated +0.1
Stonewall County, TX 50.3 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Deer Lodge County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Deer Lodge 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 Deer Lodge County residents at no cost.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Deer Lodge County, Montana?

    Deer Lodge County has a County Distress Index score of 50.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,578th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Deer Lodge County?

    The primary driver of distress in Deer Lodge County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 66.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Deer Lodge County compare to neighboring counties?

    Deer Lodge County (50.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Silver Bow County, MT (57.0); Powell County, MT (49.6); Ravalli County, MT (43.7).

  • 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 Deer Lodge County?

    Deer Lodge County, Montana has a population of approximately 9,673 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.