Golden Valley County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Normal · 38.4 | 1,743 people · 6th most distressed in North Dakota
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Golden Valley County, ND falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 38.4 — 2447th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Income & Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within North Dakota, it ranks 6th of 53 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Golden Valley County's primary driver is Income & Poverty at 53.7 — above the national median.

Income & Poverty Primary driver 53.7
Poverty Rate 35
Income vs. State Median 88
Child Poverty Rate 38
Employment & Wages 51.0
Unemployment Rate 5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 95
Community Vulnerability 44.0
Uninsured Rate 5
Disability Rate 83
Debt & Delinquency 21.9
Debt in Collections 23
Medical Debt 42
Student Loan Delinquency 11
Auto Loan Delinquency 24
Credit Card Delinquency 17
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 13
Housing Cost Burden 21.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 5
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Golden Valley County
Golden Valley County, ND 38.4 Normal —
Wibaux County, MT 46.7 Normal +8.2
Slope County, ND 35.5 Normal -3.0
Fallon County, MT 31.8 Healthy -6.7
McKenzie County, ND 28.3 Healthy -10.2
Billings County, ND 17.3 Healthy -21.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Golden Valley County
Keya Paha County, NE 38.4 Normal -0.0
Monona County, IA 38.5 Normal +0.1
Beaverhead County, MT 38.6 Normal +0.1
Barber County, KS 38.3 Normal -0.1
Republic County, KS 38.3 Normal -0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Golden Valley County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Golden Valley County

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State Bar Association of North Dakota Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar Association of North Dakota Lawyer Referral Service 701-255-1404

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Golden Valley County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of North Dakota 1-800-634-5263

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Golden Valley County, North Dakota?

    Golden Valley County has a County Distress Index score of 38.4 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,447th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 6th in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Golden Valley County?

    The primary driver of distress in Golden Valley County is Income & Poverty, where the county scores 53.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median, Child Poverty Rate.

  • How does Golden Valley County compare to neighboring counties?

    Golden Valley County (38.4) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Wibaux County, MT (46.7); Slope County, ND (35.5); Fallon County, MT (31.8).

  • 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 Golden Valley County?

    Golden Valley County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 1,743 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.