Ransom County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 19.8 | 5,603 people · 46th most distressed in North Dakota
American Default Research

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Ransom County, ND ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 19.8 — 3116th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing remains relatively affordable compared to local incomes. Within North Dakota, it ranks 46th of 53 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Ransom County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 32.4 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 32.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 28
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 18
Homeownership Rate 43
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Employment & Wages 26.4
Unemployment Rate 5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 24
Business Formation Rate 50
Income & Poverty 20.5
Poverty Rate 15
Income vs. State Median 32
Child Poverty Rate 14
Debt & Delinquency 10.5
Debt in Collections 7
Medical Debt 18
Student Loan Delinquency 11
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 17
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5
Community Vulnerability 9.1
Uninsured Rate 8
Disability Rate 10

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Ransom County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Ransom County
Ransom County, ND 19.8 Healthy —
Barnes County, ND 33.9 Healthy +14.2
Richland County, ND 33.9 Healthy +14.1
Cass County, ND 27.8 Healthy +8.0
Dickey County, ND 25.8 Healthy +6.0
Sargent County, ND 20.5 Healthy +0.7
LaMoure County, ND 18.7 Healthy -1.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Ransom County
McLean County, ND 19.6 Healthy -0.2
Sully County, SD 19.6 Healthy -0.2
Hand County, SD 20.1 Healthy +0.4
Hanson County, SD 20.2 Healthy +0.4
Bowman County, ND 19.3 Healthy -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Ransom 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 Ransom 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 Ransom County, North Dakota?

    Ransom County has a County Distress Index score of 19.8 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,116th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ransom County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ransom County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 32.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Ransom County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ransom County (19.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Barnes County, ND (33.9); Richland County, ND (33.9); Cass County, ND (27.8).

  • 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 Ransom County?

    Ransom County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 5,603 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.