Jefferson County, Montana

County Distress Index: Healthy · 26.4 | 13,048 people · 55th most distressed in Montana
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Jefferson County, MT ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 26.4 — 3003rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where the job market is relatively stable with wages that keep pace with costs. Within Montana, it ranks 55th of 56 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Jefferson County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 44.4 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 44.4
Unemployment Rate 41
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 83
Business Formation Rate 9
Community Vulnerability 39.7
Uninsured Rate 19
Disability Rate 61
Housing Cost Burden 26.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 7
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 78
Homeownership Rate 7
Rent-to-Income Ratio 37
Debt & Delinquency 12.9
Debt in Collections 5
Medical Debt 38
Student Loan Delinquency 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5
Income & Poverty 8.2
Poverty Rate 10
Income vs. State Median 6
Child Poverty Rate 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Jefferson County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Jefferson County
Jefferson County, MT 26.4 Healthy —
Silver Bow County, MT 57.0 Elevated +30.5
Deer Lodge County, MT 50.2 Elevated +23.8
Powell County, MT 49.6 Normal +23.2
Broadwater County, MT 37.8 Normal +11.3
Lewis and Clark County, MT 35.9 Normal +9.5
Madison County, MT 35.8 Normal +9.4
Gallatin County, MT 34.6 Healthy +8.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Jefferson County
Otoe County, NE 26.4 Healthy -0.1
Blaine County, ID 26.5 Healthy +0.1
Stark County, ND 26.5 Healthy +0.1
Carroll County, IA 26.6 Healthy +0.2
Poquoson city, VA 26.7 Healthy +0.2

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Find Help in Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, Montana?

    Jefferson County has a County Distress Index score of 26.4 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,003rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 55th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jefferson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Jefferson County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 44.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Jefferson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Jefferson County (26.4) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Silver Bow County, MT (57.0); Deer Lodge County, MT (50.2); Powell County, MT (49.6).

  • 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 Jefferson County?

    Jefferson County, Montana has a population of approximately 13,048 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.