Fergus County, Montana

County Distress Index: Normal · 45.0 | 11,772 people · 25th most distressed in Montana
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Fergus County, MT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 45.0 — 1987th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Montana, it ranks 25th of 56 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Fergus County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 63.9 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 63.9
Unemployment Rate 76
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 23
Community Vulnerability 62.2
Uninsured Rate 88
Disability Rate 36
Housing Cost Burden 51.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 27
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 21
Homeownership Rate 82
Rent-to-Income Ratio 89
Income & Poverty 31.1
Poverty Rate 31
Income vs. State Median 34
Child Poverty Rate 29
Debt & Delinquency 16.5
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 50
Student Loan Delinquency 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 15

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Fergus County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Fergus County
Fergus County, MT 45.0 Normal —
Blaine County, MT 57.8 Elevated +12.8
Musselshell County, MT 56.7 Elevated +11.7
Golden Valley County, MT 55.5 Elevated +10.5
Wheatland County, MT 53.7 Elevated +8.7
Petroleum County, MT 47.9 Normal +2.9
Phillips County, MT 44.1 Normal -0.9
Chouteau County, MT 39.5 Normal -5.5
Judith Basin County, MT 37.1 Normal -7.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Fergus County
Clay County, IN 45.0 Normal 0.0
White County, IN 45.0 Normal 0.0
Sanpete County, UT 45.0 Normal -0.0
Union County, IA 45.0 Normal -0.0
Wakulla County, FL 44.9 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fergus County

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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 Fergus 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 Fergus County, Montana?

    Fergus County has a County Distress Index score of 45.0 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,987th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fergus County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fergus County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 63.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Fergus County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fergus County (45.0) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Blaine County, MT (57.8); Musselshell County, MT (56.7); Golden Valley County, MT (55.5).

  • 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 Fergus County?

    Fergus County, Montana has a population of approximately 11,772 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.