Golden Valley County, Montana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.5 | 835 people · 10th most distressed in Montana
American Default Research

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Golden Valley County, MT registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.5 — 1178th 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 10th 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. Golden Valley County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 85.8 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 85.8
Uninsured Rate 89
Disability Rate 83
Income & Poverty 85.2
Poverty Rate 70
Income vs. State Median 91
Child Poverty Rate 95
Housing Cost Burden 40.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 82
Homeownership Rate 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Employment & Wages 38.6
Unemployment Rate 23
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 5
Debt & Delinquency 27.4
Debt in Collections 18
Medical Debt 48
Student Loan Delinquency 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 16
Credit Card Delinquency 16
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Golden Valley County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Golden Valley County
Golden Valley County, MT 55.5 Elevated —
Musselshell County, MT 56.7 Elevated +1.2
Wheatland County, MT 53.7 Elevated -1.9
Fergus County, MT 45.0 Normal -10.5
Yellowstone County, MT 41.1 Normal -14.4
Sweet Grass County, MT 27.9 Healthy -27.6
Stillwater County, MT 21.9 Healthy -33.6

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Golden Valley County
Webster County, MS 55.5 Elevated -0.0
Cottle County, TX 55.4 Elevated -0.1
Carroll County, MS 55.7 Elevated +0.2
Mills County, TX 55.3 Elevated -0.3
Cleveland County, AR 55.8 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Golden Valley County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Golden Valley 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 Golden Valley 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 Golden Valley County, Montana?

    Golden Valley County has a County Distress Index score of 55.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,178th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 10th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Golden Valley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Golden Valley County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 85.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Golden Valley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Golden Valley County (55.5) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Musselshell County, MT (56.7); Wheatland County, MT (53.7); Fergus County, MT (45.0).

  • 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 Golden Valley County?

    Golden Valley County, Montana has a population of approximately 835 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.