Delta County, Michigan

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.2 | 36,790 people · 41st most distressed in Michigan
American Default Research

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Delta County, MI registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.2 — 1580th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where unemployment is elevated, wages are low relative to housing costs, and business formation lags. Within Michigan, it ranks 41st of 83 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Delta County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 76.3 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 76.3
Unemployment Rate 95
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 45
Business Formation Rate 89
Income & Poverty 53.1
Poverty Rate 55
Income vs. State Median 60
Child Poverty Rate 44
Community Vulnerability 46.0
Uninsured Rate 26
Disability Rate 66
Housing Cost Burden 44.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 41
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 60
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 53
Homeownership Rate 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 41
Debt & Delinquency 31.6
Debt in Collections 28
Medical Debt 58
Student Loan Delinquency 53
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 32
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 13

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Delta County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Delta County
Delta County, MI 50.2 Elevated —
Schoolcraft County, MI 52.6 Elevated +2.4
Menominee County, MI 48.5 Normal -1.7
Alger County, MI 44.8 Normal -5.4
Marquette County, MI 44.8 Normal -5.4
Door County, WI 29.8 Healthy -20.4
Leelanau County, MI 25.3 Healthy -24.9

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Delta County
Jefferson County, IA 50.2 Elevated 0.0
Pine County, MN 50.2 Elevated +0.0
Garrard County, KY 50.3 Elevated +0.1
Lafayette County, MO 50.1 Elevated -0.1
Allegany County, NY 50.1 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Delta County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Delta County.

LEGAL SERVICES OF NORTHERN MICHIGAN, INC.
Escanaba
906-786-2303-3 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFair HousingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 Delta 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 Delta County, Michigan?

    Delta County has a County Distress Index score of 50.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,580th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 41st in Michigan out of 83 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Delta County?

    The primary driver of distress in Delta County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 76.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Delta County compare to neighboring counties?

    Delta County (50.2) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Schoolcraft County, MI (52.6); Menominee County, MI (48.5); Alger County, MI (44.8).

  • 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 Delta County?

    Delta County, Michigan has a population of approximately 36,790 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.