Gallatin County, Montana

County Distress Index: Healthy · 34.6 | 126,409 people · 49th most distressed in Montana
American Default Research

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Gallatin County, MT ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 34.6 — 2674th 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 49th 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. Gallatin County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 87.4 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 87.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 79
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 92
Homeownership Rate 91
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Employment & Wages 38.8
Unemployment Rate 19
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 96
Business Formation Rate 2
Community Vulnerability 22.5
Uninsured Rate 43
Disability Rate 2
Debt & Delinquency 18.6
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 50
Student Loan Delinquency 18
Auto Loan Delinquency 7
Credit Card Delinquency 9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 20
Income & Poverty 5.6
Poverty Rate 12
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Gallatin County
Gallatin County, MT 34.6 Healthy —
Park County, MT 41.5 Normal +7.0
Fremont County, ID 41.2 Normal +6.7
Meagher County, MT 39.9 Normal +5.4
Broadwater County, MT 37.8 Normal +3.2
Madison County, MT 35.8 Normal +1.2
Park County, WY 33.5 Healthy -1.0
Jefferson County, MT 26.4 Healthy -8.1
Teton County, WY 25.1 Healthy -9.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Gallatin County
Bedford County, VA 34.6 Healthy 0.0
Eau Claire County, WI 34.7 Healthy +0.1
Limestone County, AL 34.4 Healthy -0.1
Story County, IA 34.7 Healthy +0.1
Kendall County, IL 34.8 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Gallatin County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Gallatin County.

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL OF DISTRICT IX, INC.
Bozeman
406-585-4895
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-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 Gallatin 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 Gallatin County, Montana?

    Gallatin County has a County Distress Index score of 34.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,674th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 49th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Gallatin County?

    The primary driver of distress in Gallatin County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 87.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Gallatin County compare to neighboring counties?

    Gallatin County (34.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Park County, MT (41.5); Fremont County, ID (41.2); Meagher County, MT (39.9).

  • 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 Gallatin County?

    Gallatin County, Montana has a population of approximately 126,409 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.