Flathead County, Montana

County Distress Index: Normal · 39.9 | 113,679 people · 39th most distressed in Montana
American Default Research

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

Flathead County, MT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 39.9 — 2356th 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 39th of 56 counties. Among its 9 neighboring counties, 7 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Flathead County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.4 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 88
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 52
Rent-to-Income Ratio 90
Employment & Wages 50.8
Unemployment Rate 61
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 0
Community Vulnerability 36.0
Uninsured Rate 59
Disability Rate 13
Debt & Delinquency 18.7
Debt in Collections 11
Medical Debt 30
Student Loan Delinquency 21
Auto Loan Delinquency 11
Credit Card Delinquency 26
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 13
Income & Poverty 14.5
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 14
Child Poverty Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Flathead County compares to its 9 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Flathead County
Flathead County, MT 39.9 Normal —
Glacier County, MT 72.1 Serious +32.2
Lincoln County, MT 62.9 Elevated +23.0
Sanders County, MT 61.4 Elevated +21.6
Pondera County, MT 52.1 Elevated +12.2
Lake County, MT 51.8 Elevated +11.9
Powell County, MT 49.6 Normal +9.7
Missoula County, MT 40.1 Normal +0.3
Teton County, MT 36.8 Normal -3.1
Lewis and Clark County, MT 35.9 Normal -4.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Flathead County
Island County, WA 39.9 Normal +0.0
Lancaster County, SC 39.8 Normal -0.1
Comal County, TX 39.8 Normal -0.1
Carroll County, NH 39.7 Normal -0.2
La Plata County, CO 39.6 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Flathead County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Flathead County.

NORTH WEST MONTANA HUMAN RESOURCES DBA COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF NW MONTANA
Kalispell
406-205-7971 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 Flathead 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 Flathead County, Montana?

    Flathead County has a County Distress Index score of 39.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,356th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Flathead County?

    The primary driver of distress in Flathead County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Flathead County compare to neighboring counties?

    Flathead County (39.9) can be compared to its 9 neighboring counties: Glacier County, MT (72.1); Lincoln County, MT (62.9); Sanders County, MT (61.4).

  • 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 Flathead County?

    Flathead County, Montana has a population of approximately 113,679 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.