Morton County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 28.2 | 33,895 people · 28th most distressed in North Dakota
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Morton County, ND ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 28.2 — 2950th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within North Dakota, it ranks 28th of 53 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Morton County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 58.9 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 58.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 64
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 80
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 16
Employment & Wages 35.5
Unemployment Rate 13
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Business Formation Rate 52
Debt & Delinquency 22.2
Debt in Collections 19
Medical Debt 28
Student Loan Delinquency 5
Auto Loan Delinquency 28
Credit Card Delinquency 35
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 17
Income & Poverty 15.3
Poverty Rate 7
Income vs. State Median 28
Child Poverty Rate 11
Community Vulnerability 9.3
Uninsured Rate 15
Disability Rate 3

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Morton County
Morton County, ND 28.2 Healthy —
Sioux County, ND 55.9 Elevated +27.7
Grant County, ND 38.9 Normal +10.7
Mercer County, ND 32.5 Healthy +4.3
Emmons County, ND 32.3 Healthy +4.1
Stark County, ND 26.5 Healthy -1.7
Burleigh County, ND 23.7 Healthy -4.5
Oliver County, ND 21.7 Healthy -6.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Morton County
Kossuth County, IA 28.3 Healthy +0.0
McKenzie County, ND 28.3 Healthy +0.0
Lake County, SD 28.3 Healthy +0.1
Dickinson County, IA 28.3 Healthy +0.1
Shelby County, IA 28.4 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Morton 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 Morton 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 Morton County, North Dakota?

    Morton County has a County Distress Index score of 28.2 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,950th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 28th in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Morton County?

    The primary driver of distress in Morton County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 58.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Morton County compare to neighboring counties?

    Morton County (28.2) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Sioux County, ND (55.9); Grant County, ND (38.9); Mercer County, ND (32.5).

  • 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 Morton County?

    Morton County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 33,895 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.