Richland County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 33.9 | 16,558 people · 16th most distressed in North Dakota
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Richland County, ND ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 33.9 — 2708th 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 16th of 53 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Richland County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 49.8 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 49.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 57
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 28
Homeownership Rate 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 5
Debt & Delinquency 32.1
Debt in Collections 10
Medical Debt 42
Student Loan Delinquency 36
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 30
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 9
Employment & Wages 32.0
Unemployment Rate 5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 6
Business Formation Rate 85
Community Vulnerability 28.5
Uninsured Rate 35
Disability Rate 22
Income & Poverty 26.8
Poverty Rate 28
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Richland County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Richland County
Richland County, ND 33.9 Healthy —
Roberts County, SD 47.7 Normal +13.8
Clay County, MN 41.5 Normal +7.7
Traverse County, MN 35.3 Normal +1.4
Wilkin County, MN 31.6 Healthy -2.2
Cass County, ND 27.8 Healthy -6.1
Marshall County, SD 22.3 Healthy -11.6
Sargent County, ND 20.5 Healthy -13.4
Ransom County, ND 19.8 Healthy -14.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Richland County
Buena Vista County, IA 33.9 Healthy +0.0
Morrison County, MN 33.9 Healthy +0.0
Barnes County, ND 33.9 Healthy +0.1
Pierce County, WI 34.0 Healthy +0.1
Campbell County, WY 34.0 Healthy +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Richland County

Find an Attorney

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 Richland 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 Richland County, North Dakota?

    Richland County has a County Distress Index score of 33.9 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,708th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Richland County?

    The primary driver of distress in Richland County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 49.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Richland County compare to neighboring counties?

    Richland County (33.9) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Roberts County, SD (47.7); Clay County, MN (41.5); Traverse County, MN (35.3).

  • 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 Richland County?

    Richland County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 16,558 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.