Madison County, Montana

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.8 | 9,521 people · 48th most distressed in Montana
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Madison County, MT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.8 — 2599th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where employment and wage conditions show moderate stress. Within Montana, it ranks 48th of 56 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Madison County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 61.6 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 61.6
Unemployment Rate 94
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 86
Business Formation Rate 5
Housing Cost Burden 43.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 20
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 26
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 76
Homeownership Rate 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Community Vulnerability 35.9
Uninsured Rate 44
Disability Rate 28
Debt & Delinquency 22.3
Debt in Collections 8
Medical Debt 44
Student Loan Delinquency 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 29
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 28
Income & Poverty 15.2
Poverty Rate 13
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Madison County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Madison County
Madison County, MT 35.8 Normal —
Silver Bow County, MT 57.0 Elevated +21.2
Fremont County, ID 41.2 Normal +5.4
Beaverhead County, MT 38.6 Normal +2.8
Gallatin County, MT 34.6 Healthy -1.2
Jefferson County, MT 26.4 Healthy -9.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Madison County
Grant County, KS 35.8 Normal -0.0
Gilliam County, OR 35.8 Normal -0.0
Carson County, TX 35.7 Normal -0.1
Howard County, NE 35.9 Normal +0.1
Thomas County, KS 35.6 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Madison 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 Madison 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 Madison County, Montana?

    Madison County has a County Distress Index score of 35.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,599th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 48th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Madison County?

    The primary driver of distress in Madison County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 61.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Madison County compare to neighboring counties?

    Madison County (35.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Silver Bow County, MT (57.0); Fremont County, ID (41.2); Beaverhead County, MT (38.6).

  • 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 Madison County?

    Madison County, Montana has a population of approximately 9,521 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.