Powell County, Montana

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.6 | 7,133 people · 18th most distressed in Montana
American Default Research

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Powell County, MT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.6 — 1618th 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 18th 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. Powell County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 68.4 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 68.4
Uninsured Rate 45
Disability Rate 91
Income & Poverty 53.5
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 46
Employment & Wages 52.6
Unemployment Rate 76
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 34
Business Formation Rate 48
Housing Cost Burden 46.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 10
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 86
Homeownership Rate 72
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Debt & Delinquency 26.9
Debt in Collections 35
Medical Debt 92
Student Loan Delinquency 19
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Powell County
Powell County, MT 49.6 Normal —
Deer Lodge County, MT 50.2 Elevated +0.6
Granite County, MT 42.9 Normal -6.7
Missoula County, MT 40.1 Normal -9.5
Flathead County, MT 39.9 Normal -9.7
Lewis and Clark County, MT 35.9 Normal -13.7
Jefferson County, MT 26.4 Healthy -23.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Powell County
Pawnee County, NE 49.6 Normal -0.0
Aleutians West Census Area, AK 49.7 Normal +0.0
Hot Springs County, WY 49.7 Normal +0.1
Van Buren County, IA 49.7 Normal +0.1
Calhoun County, AR 49.8 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Powell 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 Powell 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 Powell County, Montana?

    Powell County has a County Distress Index score of 49.6 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,618th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 18th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Powell County?

    The primary driver of distress in Powell County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 68.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Powell County compare to neighboring counties?

    Powell County (49.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Deer Lodge County, MT (50.2); Granite County, MT (42.9); Missoula County, MT (40.1).

  • 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 Powell County?

    Powell County, Montana has a population of approximately 7,133 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.