North Dakota County Distress Index
Financial distress scores for all 53 counties in North Dakota, scored 0–100 across five domains. Mean score: 20.4.
Data: Census, BLS, Urban Institute, HUD, US Courts | Scores as of 2026-03-26
North Dakota Snapshot
53 Counties Scored
20.4 Mean Score
19.9 Median Score
54.9 Rolette County Most Distressed
9.1 McLean County Least Distressed
1 moderate county distress1 moderate-low county distress4 low-moderate county distress19 low county distress25 very low county distress3 exceptionally low county distress
Score Label Distribution North Dakota County Map
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Low county distress Moderate-low county distress Moderate county distress High county distress Extreme county distress
All 53 North Dakota counties colored by county distress score range. Hover for details; click released counties for full reports.
Most & Least Distressed
Most Distressed
Least Distressed
Score Distribution
How North Dakota's 53 county scores are distributed across the 0–100 scale.
All North Dakota Counties
53 counties ranked by distress score. Click column headers to sort.
| State Rank | Nat'l Rank | County | Score | Score Label | Primary Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,324 | Rolette County | 54.9 | moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 2 | 1,901 | Sioux County | 44.6 | moderate-low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 3 | 2,445 | Benson County | 34.0 | low-moderate county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 4 | 2,539 | Mountrail County | 31.9 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 5 | 2,546 | McKenzie County | 31.7 | low-moderate county distress | Delinquency |
| 6 | 2,608 | Grant County | 30.3 | low-moderate county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 7 | 2,637 | Williams County | 29.6 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 8 | 2,682 | Adams County | 28.3 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 9 | 2,704 | Hettinger County | 28.0 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 10 | 2,744 | Ward County | 26.7 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 11 | 2,842 | Richland County | 24.2 | low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 12 | 2,846 | Barnes County | 24.1 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 13 | 2,880 | Stark County | 23.0 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 14 | 2,883 | Golden Valley County | 22.9 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 15 | 2,884 | Pierce County | 22.8 | low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 16 | 2,890 | Grand Forks County | 22.7 | low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 17 | 2,904 | Cass County | 22.2 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 18 | 2,913 | Ramsey County | 21.9 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 19 | 2,915 | Morton County | 21.9 | low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 20 | 2,947 | Kidder County | 20.7 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 21 | 2,950 | Sheridan County | 20.7 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 22 | 2,952 | Logan County | 20.6 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 23 | 2,957 | Slope County | 20.4 | low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 24 | 2,968 | Walsh County | 20.0 | low county distress | Delinquency |
| 25 | 2,970 | Divide County | 20.0 | low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 26 | 2,973 | Mercer County | 19.9 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 27 | 2,975 | Stutsman County | 19.9 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 28 | 2,982 | Emmons County | 19.8 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 29 | 2,999 | Dunn County | 19.3 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 30 | 3,013 | Eddy County | 18.7 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 31 | 3,018 | McIntosh County | 17.8 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 32 | 3,029 | McHenry County | 17.2 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 33 | 3,037 | Burke County | 16.7 | very low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 34 | 3,053 | Dickey County | 16.0 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 35 | 3,057 | Foster County | 15.7 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 36 | 3,063 | Traill County | 15.4 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 37 | 3,065 | Burleigh County | 15.4 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 38 | 3,072 | Oliver County | 14.8 | very low county distress | Delinquency |
| 39 | 3,080 | Ransom County | 14.3 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 40 | 3,082 | Sargent County | 14.3 | very low county distress | Default & Legal |
| 41 | 3,086 | Wells County | 13.9 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 42 | 3,089 | Nelson County | 13.8 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 43 | 3,091 | Bottineau County | 13.6 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 44 | 3,092 | Towner County | 13.6 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 45 | 3,098 | Pembina County | 13.2 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 46 | 3,099 | Griggs County | 13.2 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 47 | 3,112 | Bowman County | 12.7 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 48 | 3,127 | Steele County | 11.1 | very low county distress | Labor |
| 49 | 3,129 | Cavalier County | 10.8 | very low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 50 | 3,130 | Billings County | 10.7 | very low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 51 | 3,135 | LaMoure County | 9.9 | exceptionally low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 52 | 3,136 | Renville County | 9.8 | exceptionally low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
| 53 | 3,140 | McLean County | 9.1 | exceptionally low county distress | Safety Net & Buffer |
How County Scores Work
Each county is scored 0–100 using five equal-weighted domains. Each domain averages its member indicators' county ranks, and the composite is the mean of those domain scores. Higher scores indicate greater household financial distress.
extreme county distress — 0 North Dakota counties
very high county distress — 0 North Dakota counties
high county distress — 0 North Dakota counties
moderate-high county distress — 0 North Dakota counties
moderate county distress — 1 North Dakota county
moderate-low county distress — 1 North Dakota county
low-moderate county distress — 4 North Dakota counties
low county distress — 19 North Dakota counties
very low county distress — 25 North Dakota counties
exceptionally low county distress — 3 North Dakota counties