Berrien County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.1 | 152,261 people · 42nd most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Berrien County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.1 — 1594th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Michigan, it ranks 42nd of 83 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Berrien County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 68.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 68.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 58
Rent-to-Income Ratio 64
Employment & Wages 58.1
Unemployment Rate 78
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Business Formation Rate 46
Debt & Delinquency 47.1
Debt in Collections 46
Medical Debt 32
Student Loan Delinquency 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 61
Credit Card Delinquency 36
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 32
Income & Poverty 45.4
Poverty Rate 50
Income vs. State Median 41
Child Poverty Rate 45
Community Vulnerability 31.1
Uninsured Rate 31
Disability Rate 31

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Berrien County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Berrien County
Berrien County, MI 50.1 Elevated —
LaPorte County, IN 52.6 Elevated +2.6
St. Joseph County, IN 51.5 Elevated +1.5
Cook County, IL 50.8 Elevated +0.7
Van Buren County, MI 48.3 Normal -1.8
Cass County, MI 46.6 Normal -3.5
Porter County, IN 36.6 Normal -13.4
Lake County, IL 34.6 Healthy -15.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Berrien County
Elkhart County, IN 50.1 Elevated +0.0
Pottawattamie County, IA 50.0 Elevated -0.0
Mercer County, PA 50.1 Elevated +0.0
Seneca County, OH 50.1 Elevated +0.0
Clay County, FL 50.1 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Berrien County

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 Berrien 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 Berrien County, Michigan?

    Berrien County has a County Distress Index score of 50.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,594th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 42nd in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Berrien County?

    The primary driver of distress in Berrien County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 68.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Berrien County compare to neighboring counties?

    Berrien County (50.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: LaPorte County, IN (52.6); St. Joseph County, IN (51.5); Cook County, IL (50.8).

  • 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 Berrien County?

    Berrien County, Michigan has a population of approximately 152,261 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.