Silver Bow County, Montana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.0 | 36,360 people · 8th most distressed in Montana
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Silver Bow County, MT registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.0 — 1083rd 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 8th of 56 counties. It scores higher than all 4 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Silver Bow County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 75.6 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 75.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 67
Homeownership Rate 69
Rent-to-Income Ratio 94
Community Vulnerability 56.8
Uninsured Rate 36
Disability Rate 78
Employment & Wages 54.2
Unemployment Rate 58
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 82
Business Formation Rate 22
Income & Poverty 53.3
Poverty Rate 67
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 38
Debt & Delinquency 44.9
Debt in Collections 45
Medical Debt 42
Student Loan Delinquency 71
Auto Loan Delinquency 21
Credit Card Delinquency 58
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 33

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Silver Bow County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Silver Bow County
Silver Bow County, MT 57.0 Elevated —
Deer Lodge County, MT 50.2 Elevated -6.8
Beaverhead County, MT 38.6 Normal -18.4
Madison County, MT 35.8 Normal -21.2
Jefferson County, MT 26.4 Healthy -30.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Silver Bow County
Marion County, MS 57.0 Elevated +0.0
Gates County, NC 57.0 Elevated +0.0
Lampasas County, TX 57.0 Elevated +0.0
Scotts Bluff County, NE 56.9 Elevated -0.1
Mackinac County, MI 56.9 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Silver Bow County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Silver Bow County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Silver Bow County.

HEADWATERS RC&D AREA, INC.
Butte
406-533-6784
Post-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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 Silver Bow 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 Silver Bow County, Montana?

    Silver Bow County has a County Distress Index score of 57.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,083rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Silver Bow County?

    The primary driver of distress in Silver Bow County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 75.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Silver Bow County compare to neighboring counties?

    Silver Bow County (57.0) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Deer Lodge County, MT (50.2); Beaverhead County, MT (38.6); Madison County, MT (35.8).

  • 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 Silver Bow County?

    Silver Bow County, Montana has a population of approximately 36,360 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.