Alpena County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.5 | 28,904 people · 36th most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Alpena County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.5 — 1482nd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Income & Poverty, where poverty rates are high and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Michigan, it ranks 36th of 83 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Alpena County's primary driver is Income & Poverty at 67.9 — above the national median.

Income & Poverty Primary driver 67.9
Poverty Rate 67
Income vs. State Median 78
Child Poverty Rate 59
Employment & Wages 61.9
Unemployment Rate 82
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 27
Business Formation Rate 77
Community Vulnerability 53.4
Uninsured Rate 19
Disability Rate 88
Housing Cost Burden 38.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 56
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 22
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 38
Homeownership Rate 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Debt & Delinquency 35.4
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 39
Student Loan Delinquency 68
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 22
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Alpena County compares to its 4 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Alpena County
Alpena County, MI 51.5 Elevated —
Oscoda County, MI 70.5 Serious +19.0
Montmorency County, MI 67.5 Serious +16.0
Alcona County, MI 53.0 Elevated +1.5
Presque Isle County, MI 47.0 Normal -4.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Alpena County
Todd County, KY 51.5 Elevated 0.0
Woodward County, OK 51.5 Elevated +0.0
Moore County, TX 51.5 Elevated +0.1
Custer County, MT 51.6 Elevated +0.1
Beauregard Parish, LA 51.4 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Alpena County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Alpena County.

NORTHEAST MICHIGAN COMMUNITY SERVICE AGENCY, INC.
Alpena
989-358-4600 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase

See all counselors in Michigan →

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Michigan Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Michigan Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-968-0738

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Alpena County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid & Defender Association of Detroit 313-967-5555
Michigan Legal Help / Wolverine Legal Aid
Neighborhood Legal Services of Michigan 248-548-3838
Michigan Advocacy Program 616-774-0672
Legal Services of South Central Michigan 734-665-6181
Lakeshore Legal Aid (888) 783-8190
Legal Aid of Western Michigan (616) 774-0672
Legal Services of Eastern Michigan (800) 322-4512
Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Inc. (906) 786-2303

Self-Help Resources

Michigan Legal Help — Foreclosure Self-help guides and interactive tools for Michigan foreclosure process and defenses
MSHDA Homeowner Resources Assistance programs, counselor referrals, and MIHAF information

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Michigan →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Alpena County, Michigan?

    Alpena County has a County Distress Index score of 51.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,482nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 36th in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Alpena County?

    The primary driver of distress in Alpena County is Income & Poverty, where the county scores 67.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median, Child Poverty Rate.

  • How does Alpena County compare to neighboring counties?

    Alpena County (51.5) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Oscoda County, MI (70.5); Montmorency County, MI (67.5); Alcona County, MI (53.0).

  • 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 Alpena County?

    Alpena County, Michigan has a population of approximately 28,904 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.