In Fremont County, Wyoming, rent on a two-bedroom takes about one in six dollars of the typical household's income
In Fremont County, 17.7% of the typical household's income would go to rent on a two-bedroom. That is lower than in 81% of U.S. counties.
Less distressed than 56% of U.S. counties.
What drives Fremont County's score
In Fremont County, late payments on loans are the highest-scoring part, at 66.7. Housing costs are the lowest part, at 16.9. About one in nine renters (11.0%, 2020 to 2024) pays half their income or more in rent, a lower share than in 85% of U.S. counties.
The County Distress Index looks at five parts of household money trouble in Fremont County: jobs, late payments on loans, income and the safety net, collections and bankruptcy, and housing costs. Each part is scored from 0 to 100, and a higher score means worse off than other counties.
Even so, Fremont County is worse off than most counties on people without health insurance (17.5%, 2020 to 2024) and people with a car or retail loan behind (9.4%, August 2025).
A longer bar means more trouble. See how the county score works.
- 66.7 of 100
Late payments
Biggest factorCredit records, August 2025; credit scores, second quarter of 2026
- People with a credit card behind5.6% · August 202552nd percentile
- People with a car or retail loan behind9.4% · August 202589th percentile
- People with a subprime credit score42.5% · second quarter of 202657th percentile
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- 55.8 of 100
Jobs
Unemployment through Sep 2026; adults not working, 2020–24 Census survey
- Unemployment rate, average over the latest year4.1% · Oct 2025 to Sep 202654th percentile
- Adults 25 to 54 not working21.8% · 2020 to 202456th percentile
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- 53.6 of 100
Income and safety net
Poverty and income, 2024; disability and insurance, 2020–24 Census survey
- People below the poverty line12.5% · 202444th percentile
- Children below the poverty line14.8% · 202437th percentile
- People with a disability15.4% · 2020 to 202444th percentile
- People without health insurance17.5% · 2020 to 202493rd percentile
- Median household income (lower income, longer bar)$67,636 · 202447th percentile
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- 37.3 of 100
Collections and bankruptcy
Credit records, August 2025; bankruptcy filings, 2025
- People with unpaid debt sent to a collector27.7% · August 202566th percentile
- Bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people45.2 · 20257th percentile
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- 16.9 of 100
Housing costs
Renters, 2020–24 Census survey; HUD's fair market rents, fiscal year 2027
- Renters paying half their income or more in rent11.0% · 2020 to 202414th percentile
- Rent on a two-bedroom as a share of the median income17.7% · fiscal year 202718th percentile
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Sources: Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents and Census income; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. County Distress Index by American Default Research, from data through Sep 2026.
Where the money in Fremont County comes from
Benefit checks are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid paid on people's behalf, veterans' benefits, and food and income support, so a high share usually means an older population, low pay, or both. In Fremont County, 20.0% of residents are 65 or older (Census Bureau, 2024), against 17.2% nationally that year.
Cents of every dollar of income, 2024
Fremont County
Wyoming
United States
- Pay from work
- Investments and rent
- Benefit checks
In Fremont County, benefit checks' share of income has more than tripled since 1969, reaching 26.6% in 2024, but pay from work still brings in twice as much as benefit checks
In Fremont County, Wyoming, benefit checks' share of income more than tripled from 1969 to 2024, reaching 26.6%; pay from work is plotted alongside. Every fifth year and 2024 are shown.
- Benefit checks
- Pay from work
The share of households in Fremont County getting SNAP food aid rose most from 9.2% in 2010 to 10.6% in 2012, 0.7 points each year.
The share of households in Fremont County getting SNAP food aid was at its highest on the chart in 2012 and has since fallen by about a quarter
Low on the chart: 7.7% in 2023. Households getting SNAP, every year; each bar is a five-year survey estimate ending that year, so neighboring bars share most of their data, Fremont County, Wyoming.
How Fremont County has changed
Fremont County's population rose 42% from 1969 to 2024, with most of the change between 1974 and 1979
High on the chart: 40,526 in 2014. Residents, yearly estimate, every fifth year and 2024, Fremont County, Wyoming.
The number of jobs located in Fremont County had its largest drop, from 16,242 in 2015 to 14,639 in 2020.
The number of jobs located in Fremont County rose by about a third from 1990 to 2025, reaching 15,457
High on the chart: 16,442 in 2010. Yearly average of jobs covered by unemployment insurance, every fifth year and 2025, Fremont County, Wyoming.
| Measure | Then | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rateBLS LAUS | 1990 7.3% | 2025 4.1% |
| People below the poverty lineCensus SAIPE | 1989 19.1% | 2024 12.5% |
| Median household incomeCensus SAIPE | 1989 $22,864 | 2024 $67,636 |
Figures are as each agency published them, not adjusted for prices.
Dated events in Fremont County's history
1884
Created March 5, 1884 from land ceded by Sweetwater County. Wikipedia
2010
The county's largest recorded population was the 2010 Census count of 40,123. The 2020 Census counted 39,234, 98% of the peak. Census Bureau
2010
A flood in June 2010 did $12 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2017
A flood in February 2017 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
2023
Hail in June 2023 did $3 million in property damage. NOAA Storm Events Database
2023
A thunderstorm in July 2023 killed one person. NOAA Storm Events Database
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Since 2010
5 federal disaster and emergency declarations have covered Fremont County, 3 of them for flooding. FEMA
Fremont County beside its neighbors
Fremont County scores higher than all eight counties that border it. For the share of income from benefit checks, Fremont County ranks 2nd of the nine; Hot Springs County is highest, at 26.7%.
| County | Score | Poverty | Benefit checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fremont County, WY | 43 | 12.5% | 26.6% |
| Sweetwater County, WY | 38 | 9.1% | 17.4% |
| Hot Springs County, WY | 35 | 11.5% | 26.7% |
| Natrona County, WY | 31 | 10.7% | 15.8% |
| Carbon County, WY | 18 | 10.8% | 16.6% |
| Park County, WY | 10 | 9.9% | 18.8% |
| Washakie County, WY | 8 | 11.4% | 26.2% |
| Sublette County, WY | 5 | 7.1% | 16.2% |
| Teton County, WY | 0 | 5.4% | 1.8% |
Distress score: American Default Research, County Distress Index, data through Sep 2026; each county scored against all 3,144. Poverty rate: Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024. Benefit checks: Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. Neighbors share a border, from Census county maps.
Is Fremont County the poorest county in Wyoming?
No, Fremont County's poverty rate was 12.5% in 2024, 5th highest of 23 in Wyoming (U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). By that measure the poorest county in the state is Albany County, at 15.9%. On our distress index, which counts more than poverty, Fremont County ranks 1st of 23 in the state.
If you're behind on your mortgage in Fremont County
Housing counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development work at nonprofit agencies. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes free foreclosure-avoidance counseling, including help with mortgage-company conversations and available options Source CFPB.
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Legal Aid of Wyoming, Inc.
Legal aid
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Equal Justice Wyoming
Legal aid
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HUD-approved housing counselors
Our help directory lists 1,010 agencies approved for foreclosure counseling, by state.
The score, its 14 measures and their sources, in one file. Free to use with credit to American Default Research.
Download the CSV for Fremont County · Every U.S. county (CSV)
Sources and method
- American Default Research · County Distress Index Data through Sep 2026, built from Urban Institute, Debt in America; Equifax via the St. Louis Fed; U.S. Courts, Table F-5A; Census Bureau, American Community Survey; HUD Fair Market Rents and Census income; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates. The County Distress Index is American Default Research's own calculation; the Urban Institute does not produce or endorse it. Our methodology
- Urban Institute · Debt in America Breno Braga, Signe-Mary McKernan, Samantha Atherton, and Kassandra Martinchek, "Debt in America," last updated November 20, 2025, https://datacatalog.urban.org/dataset/debt-america-2025. Licensed under ODC-By 1.0.
- Rent on a two-bedroom and household income The rent share compares HUD fair market rent for fiscal year 2027 with Census Bureau median household income for 2024. The page calls this the typical household's income.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts (CAINC4) · income shares Where the money in Fremont County comes from, 2024.
- History The agencies named in each row and the linked records above.