Michigan County Distress Index
Financial distress scores for all 83 counties in Michigan, scored 0–100 across five domains. Mean score: 53.1. 4 counties score high, very high, or extreme.
Data: Census, BLS, Urban Institute, HUD, US Courts | Scores as of 2026-03-26
Michigan Snapshot
83 Counties Scored
53.1 Mean Score
52.5 Median Score
86.2 Wayne County Most Distressed
25.4 Leelanau County Least Distressed
1 very high county distress3 high county distress20 moderate-high county distress25 moderate county distress25 moderate-low county distress7 low-moderate county distress2 low county distress
Score Label Distribution Michigan County Map
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Low county distress Moderate-low county distress Moderate county distress High county distress Extreme county distress
All 83 Michigan counties colored by county distress score range. Hover for details; click released counties for full reports.
Most & Least Distressed
Most Distressed
Least Distressed
Score Distribution
How Michigan's 83 county scores are distributed across the 0–100 scale.
All Michigan Counties
83 counties ranked by distress score. Click column headers to sort.
| State Rank | Nat'l Rank | County | Score | Score Label | Primary Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35 | Wayne County | 86.2 | very high county distress | Labor |
| 2 | 297 | Genesee County | 75.1 | high county distress | Labor |
| 3 | 352 | Clare County | 73.7 | high county distress | Labor |
| 4 | 424 | Saginaw County | 71.6 | high county distress | Labor |
| 5 | 499 | Calhoun County | 69.9 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 6 | 526 | Oscoda County | 69.4 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 7 | 601 | Lake County | 68.2 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 8 | 642 | Montmorency County | 67.4 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 9 | 654 | Osceola County | 67.2 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 10 | 721 | Isabella County | 65.8 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 11 | 744 | Muskegon County | 65.2 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 12 | 750 | Roscommon County | 65.0 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 13 | 764 | Ogemaw County | 64.8 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 14 | 803 | Jackson County | 64.2 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 15 | 812 | Kalkaska County | 64.1 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 16 | 834 | Ingham County | 63.7 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 17 | 908 | Crawford County | 62.4 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 18 | 909 | Arenac County | 62.4 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 19 | 923 | Mecosta County | 62.2 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 20 | 928 | Macomb County | 62.0 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 21 | 935 | Wexford County | 61.9 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 22 | 950 | St. Clair County | 61.7 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 23 | 989 | Gladwin County | 61.0 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 24 | 1,047 | Iosco County | 60.1 | moderate-high county distress | Labor |
| 25 | 1,059 | Gogebic County | 59.8 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 26 | 1,082 | Shiawassee County | 59.1 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 27 | 1,087 | Iron County | 59.0 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 28 | 1,116 | Luce County | 58.7 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 29 | 1,165 | Berrien County | 57.8 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 30 | 1,219 | Hillsdale County | 56.7 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 31 | 1,221 | Lapeer County | 56.7 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 32 | 1,239 | Lenawee County | 56.3 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 33 | 1,262 | Tuscola County | 55.9 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 34 | 1,268 | Manistee County | 55.8 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 35 | 1,283 | Branch County | 55.6 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 36 | 1,297 | Bay County | 55.4 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 37 | 1,307 | Kalamazoo County | 55.2 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 38 | 1,334 | Monroe County | 54.7 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 39 | 1,344 | Gratiot County | 54.5 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 40 | 1,384 | Montcalm County | 53.7 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 41 | 1,414 | Sanilac County | 53.2 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 42 | 1,455 | Cheboygan County | 52.5 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 43 | 1,460 | Newaygo County | 52.5 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 44 | 1,465 | St. Joseph County | 52.4 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 45 | 1,476 | Van Buren County | 52.3 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 46 | 1,485 | Otsego County | 52.1 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 47 | 1,514 | Cass County | 51.5 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 48 | 1,561 | Missaukee County | 50.5 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 49 | 1,588 | Ionia County | 50.0 | moderate county distress | Labor |
| 50 | 1,615 | Chippewa County | 49.4 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 51 | 1,670 | Alcona County | 48.4 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 52 | 1,677 | Mason County | 48.3 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 53 | 1,680 | Ontonagon County | 48.3 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 54 | 1,686 | Mackinac County | 48.3 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 55 | 1,731 | Schoolcraft County | 47.6 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 56 | 1,745 | Delta County | 47.3 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 57 | 1,759 | Alpena County | 47.1 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 58 | 1,774 | Keweenaw County | 46.8 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 59 | 1,775 | Eaton County | 46.8 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 60 | 1,789 | Huron County | 46.6 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 61 | 1,805 | Kent County | 46.2 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 62 | 1,811 | Oceana County | 46.0 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 63 | 1,822 | Menominee County | 45.9 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 64 | 1,831 | Washtenaw County | 45.8 | moderate-low county distress | Debt Burden (housing basis) |
| 65 | 1,859 | Midland County | 45.4 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 66 | 1,866 | Marquette County | 45.3 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 67 | 1,879 | Houghton County | 44.9 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 68 | 1,909 | Dickinson County | 44.5 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 69 | 1,965 | Presque Isle County | 43.5 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 70 | 1,989 | Oakland County | 43.0 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 71 | 1,990 | Benzie County | 43.0 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 72 | 2,038 | Barry County | 41.9 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 73 | 2,046 | Baraga County | 41.7 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 74 | 2,108 | Alger County | 40.7 | moderate-low county distress | Labor |
| 75 | 2,152 | Antrim County | 39.8 | low-moderate county distress | Labor |
| 76 | 2,378 | Ottawa County | 35.3 | low-moderate county distress | Labor |
| 77 | 2,388 | Charlevoix County | 35.1 | low-moderate county distress | Labor |
| 78 | 2,412 | Emmet County | 34.7 | low-moderate county distress | Labor |
| 79 | 2,426 | Allegan County | 34.3 | low-moderate county distress | Labor |
| 80 | 2,433 | Grand Traverse County | 34.2 | low-moderate county distress | Labor |
| 81 | 2,598 | Clinton County | 30.6 | low-moderate county distress | Labor |
| 82 | 2,715 | Livingston County | 27.7 | low county distress | Labor |
| 83 | 2,793 | Leelanau County | 25.4 | low county distress | Labor |
How County Scores Work
Each county is scored 0–100 using five equal-weighted domains. Each domain averages its member indicators' county ranks, and the composite is the mean of those domain scores. Higher scores indicate greater household financial distress.
extreme county distress — 0 Michigan counties
very high county distress — 1 Michigan county
high county distress — 3 Michigan counties
moderate-high county distress — 20 Michigan counties
moderate county distress — 25 Michigan counties
moderate-low county distress — 25 Michigan counties
low-moderate county distress — 7 Michigan counties
low county distress — 2 Michigan counties
very low county distress — 0 Michigan counties
exceptionally low county distress — 0 Michigan counties