Yellowstone County, Montana

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.1 | 170,843 people · 35th most distressed in Montana
American Default Research

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Yellowstone County, MT falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.1 — 2283rd 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 35th of 56 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Yellowstone County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 75.5 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 75.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 60
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 73
Rent-to-Income Ratio 75
Debt & Delinquency 40.2
Debt in Collections 42
Medical Debt 70
Student Loan Delinquency 25
Auto Loan Delinquency 35
Credit Card Delinquency 38
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 30
Employment & Wages 37.1
Unemployment Rate 38
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 7
Community Vulnerability 35.7
Uninsured Rate 39
Disability Rate 32
Income & Poverty 16.8
Poverty Rate 20
Income vs. State Median 19
Child Poverty Rate 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Yellowstone County
Yellowstone County, MT 41.1 Normal —
Big Horn County, MT 64.7 Elevated +23.7
Rosebud County, MT 57.6 Elevated +16.5
Musselshell County, MT 56.7 Elevated +15.7
Golden Valley County, MT 55.5 Elevated +14.4
Treasure County, MT 40.8 Normal -0.3
Carbon County, MT 38.3 Normal -2.8
Stillwater County, MT 21.9 Healthy -19.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Yellowstone County
St. Clair County, AL 41.1 Normal +0.0
Cape Girardeau County, MO 41.0 Normal -0.0
LaSalle County, IL 41.0 Normal -0.1
Monongalia County, WV 41.0 Normal -0.1
Sumner County, TN 41.3 Normal +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Yellowstone County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Yellowstone County.

DISTRICT 7 HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
Billings
406-206-2717
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase

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 Yellowstone County residents at no cost.

Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA) 1-800-666-6899

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Yellowstone County, Montana?

    Yellowstone County has a County Distress Index score of 41.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,283rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Montana out of 56 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Yellowstone County?

    The primary driver of distress in Yellowstone County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 75.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Yellowstone County compare to neighboring counties?

    Yellowstone County (41.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Big Horn County, MT (64.7); Rosebud County, MT (57.6); Musselshell County, MT (56.7).

  • 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 Yellowstone County?

    Yellowstone County, Montana has a population of approximately 170,843 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.